
P irst R eunion 



* * ft * -X- * * * * * 



OF 



IOWA'S HORNET'S NEST 



* * * ft * * * -s;- ft * ft -::- * * ft ft * * ft 



Brigade. 




^v 4 :: '.7gp 



f 



1 

2d, %ih, $fb, t2ti and tftf Infantry. 



HELD AT 



•::• ft x * ft * * -:■:- •:.■ ~- 



3ES MOINES, IOWA, 

1, 7 * » ft ft ' ft\V EDXESDAY A X D T J l U E S D A Y • 

OCTOBER 12 AND 13, 1887. 



OSKALOOSA, IOWA: 

GLOBE PRINTING COMPANY 

1888. 




ass 



irjy/ 



X&4 •- 



PRESENTED liV 



First EJeurjior) 



OF 



IOWA'S 

u 

Hornet's Nest 

BRIGADE. 




2d, %th, $th~, \2th and fflli Infantry. 



HELD AT 



DES MOINES, IOWA, 
Wednesday and Thursday, 

OCTOBER 12 AND 13, 1887. 



OSKALOOSA, IOWA! 

GLOBE PRINTING COMPANY 

1888, 



.4 




Gift 
23 N '09 



i 



Officers : 



PRESIDENT : 

J. M. Tuttle, Des Moines, Iowa. 

VICE-PRESIDENTS : 

S. A. Moore, Second Iowa, Bloomfield, Iowa. 
J. C. Parrott, Seventh Iowa, Keokuk, Iowa. 
D. Ryan, Eighth Iowa, Newton, Iowa. 
S. R. Edgington, Twelfth Iowa, Eldora, Iowa. 
W. T. Shaw, Fourteenth Iowa, Anamosa, Iowa. 

SECRETARY : 

R, L. Turner, Eighth Iowa. Oskaloosa, Iowa. 

TREASURER : 

V. P. Twombly, Second Iowa. Des Moines. Iowa. 



Preliminary Call. 



For several years past, there having been a desire expressed by com- 
rades of the 2d, 7th. 8th, 12th and 14th Iowa Infantry Regiments, who 
held the ground at the battle of Shiloh, known in history as the "Hornet's 
Xest." that we might hold a Brigade Reunion, and the Presidents of the 
several Regiments having corresponded with General Tuttle in regard to 
it, the General issued a call for the officers of the different Regimental 
Associations to meet at the Kirkwood House in Des Moines. Iowa. Au- 
gust. 12th. 1-ssT. to decide what steps should be taken in the matter. 



The Kirkwood House, Des Moines, Iowa, / 

August 12th, 1887. ) 

The mee ing called by General .1. M. Tuttle. to meet at the Kirkwood 
House for the purpose of electing a temporary organization of the Iowa 
Brigade, consisting of the 2d. 7th. 8th, 12th and 14th Iowa Infantry Reg- 
iments, and for holding a Reunion, met pursuant to call. 

The regiments were all represented, and the temporary organization 
effected by electing General J. M. Tuttle as President, and R. L. Turner 
as Secretary. 

On motion, Des Moines, Polk County. Iowa, was adopted as the place 
and October 12th and 13th, 1887, as the time for holding the Reunion, and 
the following call was issued: 

There will be a Reunion of the Shiloh "Hornet's Nest" Brigade con- 
sisting of the Second, Seventh, Eighth, Twelfth and Fourteenth Iowa 
Infantry Regiments, at Des Moines. October 12th and 13th next. The 
railroads have agreed to give reduced rate of fare to attend the Reunion. 
A good time is expected. Particulars will be furnished later. 

J. M. TUTTLE, President. Second Iowa Infantry. 
.1. ('. PARROTT, President, Seventh Iowa Infantry. 
I). Ryan, President, Eighth Iowa Infantry. 
S. R. EDGINGTON, President. Twelfth Iowa Infantry. 
\V. T. Shaw, President. Fourteenth Iowa Infantry. 

( >n motion, a committee on programme consisting of the Presidents 

of the several Regiments was elected. Meeting adjourned. 

J. M. Tuttle, Temporary President. 
R. L. Ti rner, Temporary Secretary. 



Programme. 



FIRST DAY— OCTOBER 12th. 

9:30 a. >i. to 1:30 J', m.— Reception of comrades at trains. 

2:00 P. M. — Regimental reunions, each regiment to be called together by 
its own organization. 

2:55 p. m. Assembly at place of meeting. 

3:00 P. m.— Organization of Brigade Association. 

3:15 i>. m- Welcoming Address, by Mayoe Phillips. 

3:20 p. m. Response, by Col. S. R. Edgington, 12th Iowa. 

3:25 p. m.- -Regimental reports. Presidents of regimental associations are 
expected to present complete but condensed reports of action 
of their regiments in the battle of Shiloh, including total num- 
ber taken onto the battle-field, and exact number killed, 
wounded and captured. 

3:30 p. m. Brigade report, (Jen. J. M. Tuttle. 

3:45 p. m. — 7th Iowa Report. Col. J. C. Parrott. 

4:01) p. m.— 8th Iowa report. Col. W. B. Bell. 

4:15 P. M. 12th Iowa report. Col. S. R. Edgington. 

4:3!) p. m- 14th Iowa report, Col. W. T. Shaw, 

4:15 p. m— Transaction of business. 



Proceedings. 



The first day of the first Reunion of the Iowa Hornet's Nest Brigade 
was a tine one, and the members of the several regiments who are scat- 
tered all over Iowa and the adjoining States, during the night and all 
forenoon, kept coming in small squads. They went directly to the Bri- 
gade Headquarters at Joe Hooker Post Hall, on Mulberry and Sixth 
Streets, where the officers and committees were waiting. Under the di- 
rection of the Brigade and Regimental Secretaries the comrades were 
registered in their respective regiments. 

The spacious hall of Joe Hooker Post had been handsomely decorat- 
ed with bunting and portraits of soldier veterans. There were many 
happy meetings and joyful personal reunions among those who had fol- 
lowed the same gallant leaders at the battle-field of Shiloh; and all fore- 
noon the hall was merry with the greetings, the stories and the jokes of 
old comrades. 

At two o'clock p. m. each regiment held a reunion, after which the 
Brigade formed in line and led by the martial band, of Knoxville (Wil- 
liam Jacob, drummer, and Henry Neeley, fifer, of E Company, 8th Infant- 
ry, members of this band, left Knoxville August 13th, 1861), marched to 
the Opera House, which was very handsomely decorated. The Battle 
Flags of the several Regiments were again unfolded, the names of the 
battles inscribed on them, and their tattered and worn appearance was 
suggestive, and brought up old memories and scenes, between 1861 and 
1865, never to be forgotten. 



Des Moines, Iowa. October 12th, 1887. 
The 2d, 7th, Mh, 12th and lltli Iowa Infantry Regiments met at the 
Opera House pursuant to notice as given at the meeting held at the Kirk- 
wood House August 12th, 1887, General J. M. Tuttle in the chair. 

The exercises were opened with prayer by Rev. Shipman. The fol- 
lowing address of welcome was delivered by Mayor Phillips; 



IOWA hornet's nest brigade reunion. 



Mr. President and Gentlemen : — A grateful task has been assigned 
me, as Mayor of this city, to extend a cordial greeting and welcome to 
our friends, the veteran soldiers, the representatives of the 2d, 7th, 8th, 
12th and 14th Regiments of Iowa Infantry, and other visitors with them. 
It gives me pleasure to discharge this duty, and I welcome you as veteran 
soldiers and fellow-citizens. 

These are happy occasions when you lay aside your cares as civilians 
engaged in the country's industries, and come together as veteran sol- 
diers, renewing old friendships, rejoicing in each other's joys, and extend- 
ing sympathy and aid, in so far as can be, to relieve from sorrow and af- 
fliction. 

Your meeting reminds us of the past, and calls particularly to the 
minds of old citizens of this city the company of picked young men who 
were of the very first to enter the Nation's service, enlisting in May, 1861. 
They were largely from the ranks of the very best young men we had — 
well educated and provided for, the pride of many a household; they car- 
ried with them the affectionate regard of all the people who then knew 
them. I refer to Company D, of the Second Iowa, which company, with 
other companies of that regiment, are represented here to-day. 

I am told that the friendship existing between veteran soldiers can 
not be fully appreciated by civilians, and the statement seems to be fully 
corroborated by these Reunions. The score and more of years that have 
intervened since your discharge from the National service have in no 
form marred that friendship, and while you mark the changes that have 
occurred in the Nation's wealth, prosperity and greatness; the passing 
years, changes in piiblic policy and new theories; the gradual approach of 
old age ; your broken ranks and the absence of many old faces, with new 
men filling old positions — in fact, a large per centage of the business and 
commercial interests of the country controlled by a new generation, yet 
with all these changes you can congratulate yourselves that you still re- 
tain the unbroken confidence and respectful consideration of the whole 
American people. 

While you were in the service your whole energies were with the 
country, striking with all the vigor of trained warriors. At the cessation 
of hostilities, and the establishment of peace, the revival of business and 
prosperity, there remained with you no enduring malice, or wish to wreak 
vengeance on those who were enemies during the war. It is probable 
that the soldiers of the whole country, so active and vigorous during war, 
did more at its cessation by their influence to establish peace and tran- 
quility amongst the entire people, and promote prosperity and happiness, 
than any other class of the American people. 

No class of citizens are more independent in theory and practice than 
the veteran soldier. They despise small theories and feeble minds not 
occasioned by Nature's deformity. The military service tends to broaden 
one's views and aid in closely scrutinizing the force and probable effect 
of the motives which govern men, and to become disinterested and com- 
paratively accurate in judgment. 

The visionary man and pretender are at home when their small theo- 
ries excite the people, and notwithstanding their pretensions, they care 
nothing for the homes, happiness, or their country's prosperity; they are 
for themselves; their business is to wrangle — the theory of the soldier is 
to govern. Soldiers, even at the distance, are the preservers of the Na- 
tion's peace, secure confidence, and should be sufficiently numerous to 
accomplish these ends. There is no class of men who can better impress 
on the young men of the age the absolute necessity of closely examining 
all new theories of government, than the veteran soldier. 



1U FIKST KEUNION OK THE 



And, gentlemen, yon in common with the American people can look 
on the political field occupied by the different political organizations, 
whose policy and theories are consistent with the genius of our institu- 
tions, and become interested in the arguments which they advance, and 
pass judgment thereon through the medium of the ballot-box, and be 
more or less happy over the result, the only issue being at most a question 
of public policy. These political organizations are in harmony with our 
institutions, adapted to the wants of American civilization and citizen- 
ship in a free country, made so by the American people, who intend that 
it shall so remain, and that the country shall continue to be the place of 
abode of a thrifty, industrious and enlightened people, made happy by 
freedom, free homes and good government; and while the people at least 
for a time may consent in this free country of ours to allow theories to be 
advanced by late importations and their satellites, who are seeking to 
employ against our government the methods used against the despotisms 
of the old world; the decree has gone forth from which there is no appeal 
that this country is not so free that its institutions can either be crippled 
or destroyed by revolution or dynamite; they rest on the imperial will of 
a free people worthy of freedom. 

Under these institutions the sons and daughters of the Republic may 
contract for an honorable and useful career in the battle of life; the same 
entrance way is open for the humblest son of toil as to the favored son 
of fortune, and the rewards are within the grasp of each. A large per 
centage of the positions of power and influence have been and will con- 
tinue to be secured by those who are willing to force their own way to 
the front. These conditions are of the glories of the Republic. 

Veterans, fellow citizens, we wish you bright camp-fires, and a happy 
Reunion, and many days of sunshine and ripe old age, with such recog- 
nition as a generous Nation awards for faithful service. 

Colonel Edgington, of the 12th Iowa Infantry, responded in behalf of 
the brigade, as follows: 

Mr. Mayor : — I thank you for your kind words of welcome to your 
beautiful city. On behalf of the veterans of the Iowa Hornet's Nest Bri- 
gade I thank you for your kind and generous words and acts of welcome. 
Iowa is proud of her rich agricultural lands, proud of her school-houses 
and colleges, proud of the high standard of the intelligence of her peo- 
ple, proud of the honor and glory won by her brave boys in blue on many 
a blood-red battle-field. Mr. Mayor, your vei-y kind words of greeting to 
these veterans of the Iowa Hornet's Nest Brigade, and generous welcome 
to your beautiful city, brings back vividly to my mind April 6th, '62, 
when the first grand field light of the war between western men of the 
western continent demonstrated to the people of America that the volun- 
teer soldier could be relied on in battle, however desperate, sudden and 
dangerous the emergency might be. It was settled then and there that a 
government like ours needed no standing army that took long years of 
military maneuver and drill, and severe and arbitrary discipline. The 
American volunteer is soldier to the manor born. It is the American 
mothers thai teach their boys love of liberty, love of country, love of 
honor and American manhood, and when their boys are old and big 
enough t<> volunteer, if the emergency of the times demands it. they are 
ready to march to the battle front as the life and drum play "Yankee 
Doodle" and -The Girl [ Lett Behind Me." 

Fellow citizens, this is no ordinary occasion. This gathering of vek 
erans who have touched elbows on many a gory battle-field, and have 
drank from the same canteen, have come here from all parts of the stute 



iowa hornet's nest brigade. 11 



of Iowa, and many of them from other States, to live over again the 
army days and talk of battles lost and won. These veterans are not un- 
known. Their deeds of heroism at the battle of Shiloh are the admira- 
tion of every citizen of our State and Nation who loves his country, his 
flag, his family and his God. For ten long hours they held their battle 
line and saved the day until night and Buel came. History has not done 
full justice to these brave men. Three of these regiments, the Eighth, 
Twelfth and Fourteenth, were captured by the rebel army that day just 
as the sun was hiding behind the western horizon, April 6th, 1862. They 
endured their captivity and suffering like grand heroes for seven long 
months, without a murmur, in the prison hells of the south. But the 
grandest heroes that day at Shiloh, and the Hornet's Nest and Hell's Hol- 
low, were those that died righting when surrounded by such fearful odds. 
Prisoners captured that day and in the early part of the war seemed to be 
abandoned by our Government and allowed to remain in Southern prison 
pens to rot and die. The prisoners captured at Shiloh, those of them that 
were kept for a while at Selma, Alabama, matured a plan and got per- 
mission from the rebel Secretary of War to send three of our members to 
"Washington to plead with the President and his Cabinet to exchange 
prisoners of war. Ex-Governor Stone, of this State, was one of the three 
sent to Washington. After forty clays' pleading to save the lives of our 
boys then rotting and dying in prison, President Lincoln ordered Secre- 
tary of War Stanton to issue a commission to General Dix to negotiate 
with the rebel authorities a cartel for the exchange of prisoners of war. 
lie it remembered that Secretary Stanton was the only member of the 
Cabinet that opposed exchanges. Through the forty days' effort of Ex- 
Governor Stone and his two comrades you were returned back to our 
lines and God's country twenty-five years ago" this very month. 

Shiloh is not the only battle-field on which these five Iowa regiments 
distinguished themselves fighting for eternal right against monstrous 
wrong, but there were one hundred bloody more. More where the blood 
of Iowa's brave and fearless boys flowed the ground in crimson. Iowa 
sent to the front and battle-fields 76,309 of her best beloved sons; they 
were participants in the fiercest and grandest struggles for the rights of 
man since the beginning of time. No other country on the face of the 
earth could have come through so fierce a war with her territory intact, 
with the rights and liberties of all her people maintained. None other 
but this, our own Columbia, the land of the brave and the free. If I 
should ask, where are these 76,< 100 Iowa boys in blue, no doubt I would be 
answered back: Few remain on Iowa soil to-day. Where are those brave 
and fearless men, and where are they to-day '? I ask of the Southern pris- 
on pens, and I ask it of one hundred bloody battle-fields. Echo answers 
back again, forty thousand of them are dead. 

"On Fame's eternal camping-ground 
Their silent tents are spread." 

They are in a fairer land than this, a realm where the rainbow never 
fades, where the stars are spread out before them like islands that slum- 
ber on the bosom of the ocean, where treason is unknown and where 
traitors never come. The dome of the Capitol building of the proud 
State of Iowa may in the ages to come, crumble and fall to the ground, 
and the ruins be covered over by the dust of ages, and the place where it 
stood be forgotten, but your deeds of valor will live for evermore. 

At the close of Col. Edgington's address it was decided to perfect a 
permanent organization. After considerable discussion as to the method 



12 FIRST REUNION OF THE 

of proceeding to Brigade organization, it was moved and seconded that 
a committee of one from each regiment be appointed to perfect and pres- 
ent a plan of permanent organization for the Brigade; motion carried, 
and the following committee was appointed: 

G. L. Godfrey, Second Iowa; Major Mahon, Seventh Iowa; De Witt 
Stearns, Eighth Iowa; Captain Sopher, Twelfth Iowa; Captain Camp- 
bell, Fourth Iowa. 

Addresses were then made, as announced on the programme, of the 
part taken by the several regiments at the battle of Shiloh: 

Brigade Keport. 

General J. M. Tuttle read the following carefully-prepared report of 

the doings of the Hornet's Xest Brigade on the first day at Shiloh: 

In reviewing, in form of amended report, the part taken by the First 
Brigade, Second Division, Army of the Tennessee, in the first day of the 
battle of Shiloh, I deem it not out of place to explain that the reason why 
my official report was so abbreviated and did not state in full all that 
took place that day, was that I was quite sick when the battle began, and 
the fatigue and exposure during the three days compelled my confine- 
ment in bed for fully two months thereafter. What I did report was 
written by the Adjutant from notes dictated by me while in bed and was 
not so full of detail as I now wish it had been. Some histories from a 
Union standpoint do us nearly justice — some partial justice and some 
rank justice— but since the publication of the official reports of rebel offi- 
cers and their histories of that battle, importance of our position, and the 
tenacity with which we held it, have attracted more of the attention of 
historians than formerly, and let us now hope that if a true history of 
that battle shall ever be written, we will have full justice done us. One 
reason for not having our full share of the credit that we were entitled 
to, was that for the eight hours that we held our ground there was no offi- 
cer visited us to see what we were doing, except General Wallace, our di- 
vision commander, and he having been killed, what knowledge he had 
was never reported. 

The name of "Hornet's Xest" was given to our position by the rebels 
themselves, and the identification was made complete by some rebel offi- 
cers in the fall of 1^84, while making a survey for the picture at Chicago. 
These soldiers had been in some of the charges made against our lines, 
and their decision in the matter is not disputed. Xo one has yet made a 
report or written an article about that battle that has not met with sharp 
criticism by some one who was there, and while the survivors of that 
struggle live there will probably never be two men found who will entire- 
ly agree as to what did take place there, except that it was one of the 
great battles of the world. 

I therefore confine myself only to what I know from my own obser- 
vation. On awakening about sunrise on the morning of the 6th of April, 
1862, my attention was attracted by severe firing at the front, and the im- 
pression was made on my mind at once that it was the commencement 
of a great battle, and that we were surprised and in no conditinn to re- 
ceive an enemy who, I believed, was attacking tis in force.. I ordered 
my horse immediately and rode to General Wallace's tent to report my- 
self ready to take command of the brigade. He did not seem to think 
that a general engagement was on, but that it was only some picket firing, 



IOWA hornet's nest brigade. 13 



such as we had experienced a day or two before. I ordered the brigade 
under arms, however, and rode out to the main road, which I found full 
of fugitives, among whom were quite a number of wounded men belong- 
ing to the regiments first engaged. I reported this to General Wallace, 
as well as that the brigade was ready to move, and that I thought we 
were needed badly at the front. He then directed me to proceed to the 
front and take with me the artillery of the division under Major Caven- 
der, which was then on its way to a field near by for inspection, and that 
he would join me with the other two brigades in a short time. I directed 
the march on the main road, which was filled with fugitives consisting of 
men from the division of .Sherman and Prentiss' camp, followers of all 
kinds, who were making their way to the river as fast as possible. By 
the time we arrived at the junction of the Corinth and Hamburg roads the 
roads were clear of fugitives, and I took the Corinth road for the reason 
that as the firing was heavy on both flanks, it occurred to me that our 
center was unprotected. On crossing the ravine a short distance from 
the junction the main road led through low ground, so I took an old road 
that led to the left and over higher ground. After following this road for 
about a quarter of a mile or more without seeing any person or hearing a 
sound of any kind in our front, we came to the corner of Duncan's field, 
at 8:30 o'clock. On looking across the field with a glass I could see the 
bayonets of soldiers, marching in line, apparently towards us. We did 
not wait long until I could make out that they were the gray. I imme- 
diately ordered the brigade to deploy in the following order: Second Iowa 
on the right and extending across the main Corinth road, which was 
about 300 yards from the one we had marched out on; the 7th Iowa on 
the left of the 2nd and in the rear of the field, and the 12th Iowa on the 
left of the 7th, with two companies also in rear of the field, and the other 
seven companies extending out into the wooded ground to the left; the 
14th to the left of the 12th, also in the woods and forming the left fiank 
of the brigade. Both fianks were in the air and without support. All 
were in an old sunken road, running across the other roads and close to 
the fence of the field. The artillery was placed on higher ground in the 
rear of the infantry. These dispositions were no sooner made than the 
enemy could be plainly seen bearing down upon us in two lines and in 
large force, which afterward proved to be Buggies' Division. While de- 
ploying, the importance of the position was forced upon me. Sherman 
and McClernand were fighting hard far on the right, Prentiss and Hurl- 
but the same on the left, and but for what opposition we could present 
there was nothing to prevent the enemy from marching unobstructed to 
the camp of our division near the landing, and, thus dividing our army 
into four parts, destroy us in detail. I therefore determined to hold this 
position at all hazards until the rest of the division came up. Cavender 
opened upon them at once with two of his batteries, which soon silenced 
the same number of the enemy's batteries that had gone into position on 
the opposite side of the field, but their infantry pushed on, when I order- 
ed Baker and Parrott, of the 2d and 7th, to open fire on them, which they 
did with great vigor and terrific effect. They were driven back with great 
loss, after getting about half way across the field. I could see many of 
them were going in an oblique direction across the corner of the field to 
the woods in front of the 2d and 4th, when another brigade was advanc- 
ing on Woods and Shaw, and in a very short time their lines were attack- 
ed with great vigor and determination, but they nobly held their ground, 
and the enmey were compelled to retire with heavy loss. Soon after an- 
other strong force attacked Woods and Shaw with the same result. 
About this time Sweeney appeared on my right with all his brigade ex- 
cept the 8th Iowa, Colonel Geddes, who marched to our left, and formed 



14 FIRST REUNION OF THE 



on the left of Colonel Shaw and took position by his direction. Colonel 
Sweeney reported to me that he had formed his brigade on my right. 
This was about noon. Soon after this Colonel Shaw reported to me that 
a portion of Prentiss' Division was in line about 200 yards to the left of 
the 8th Iowa. I could tell from the tiring that Sherman and McClernand 
on the right and Prentiss and Ilurlbut on the left were being steadily 
driven back. I could see, therefore, that we were breaking the enemy's 
center by holding our position, and I expected a renewed and more vigor- 
ous attack, which soon came along my whole front. This was the most 
terrific assault of the day. That in front of the 2d and 7th was soon re- 
pulsed, but in front of the 12th, 14th and 8th the fighting was stubborn 
and determined and lasted for over an hour. Shaw sent for artillery, 
which was given him and was used to excellent effect. Geddes got a sec- 
tion of artillery from Prentiss, who had connected with his left. The 
lighting was hardest in front of the 8th, or rather, it lasted the longest 
there. The rebels had got on their mettle on account of this "Hornet's 
Nest," and they performed prodigies of valor in trying to take the posi- 
tion. They charged up to within a few rods of our lines and would hold 
their ground until most of them fell. This charge was scarcely off until 
another was on, for three or four hours of almost continuous fighting. 
But they were repulsed on all of them with heavy loss. According to 
rebel reports, they were beaten away from this position seven times. I 
reported it five times. It was hard to tell when one charge ended and an- 
other began, for during four hours there was fighting on some part of 
my line all the time. The effect of the desperate fighting here could best 
be* seen the next day. The ground was literally covered with the enemy's 
dead, the wounded having been taken away. In several places could be 
seen dead men and horses piled up with dismounted cannon and small 
arms promiscuously, presenting a horrid scene of the cruelties of war, al- 
ways liable to occur during great battles. During this time Prentiss and 
Ilurlbut had been doubled back and were in line 800 yards in my rear, 
with backs to us, and still fighting in their front. Geddes had to change 
the front of half of his regiment to conform to Prentiss' line, and at 
times there were intervals between him and Shaw, and at other times be- 
tween Shaw and "Woods, but they were only temporary for the purpose of 
meeting some more than usually determined charge at a given point, and 
were not forced. Sweeney, for some cause unknown to me, had allowed 
his brigade on my right to get into confusion and go to pieces as a bri- 
gade, but I understand the regiments kept their organizations. This left 
my right exposed. About this time, 4:30 p. m., General Wallace came to 
me and while I was explaining to him what I had been doing during the 
day, Lieutenant Godfrey, of Company D, 2d Iowa, who was at the ex- 
treme right of my line, at the right corner of the Duncan field, came and 
reported that the enemy was passing my right Hank and that the woods 
on my right were full of rebels. We realized at once that we soon would 
be, if we were not already surrounded, and after a short consultation we 
determined to retire the brigade. Wallace was to take the 2d and 7th 
down the Corinth road to the junction, where the old road came into it, 
and I was to take the 12th, 14th and 8th to the same place by the old road. 
I sent staff officers at once to give the order to fall back in line to the top 
of the high ground in the rear. The 2d and 7th got back first and started 
down the road by the flank with Wallace at their head. They went but a 
short distance when they were tired upon by a heavy force and Wallace 
fell from his horse at the first fire. Seeing him fall I gave hasty instruc- 
tions to staff officers to direct Woods, Shaw and Geddes to move rapidly 
down the old road and form a junction with me. I rode forward to the 
head of the column, and on arriving at the junction of the road I saw a 



IOWA hornet's nest brigade. 15 



force of the enemy in line in front of me in the camp of the 3rd Iowa. I 
immediately deployed the two regiments, expecting the others up by the 
time the deployment should be completed, but they not coming, and the fir- 
ing being exceedingly heavy on both tlanks and the front, I ordered a charge 
in which we drove the enemy before us and got through, but with heavy 
loss. I learned afterward that the last orders to Woods, Shaw and Geddes 
were not delivered, and they, not knowing where we had gone nor what 
they were expected to do, commenced, each one, to fall back as best he 
could, and when they reached the place where we got through, found it 
closed up again with a stronger line, and they were compelled to surren- 
der. After we had got through and gone a short distance, I halted the 
typo regiments and was soon joined by Colonel Crocker with the 13th 
Iowa. I then heard heavy tiring in the rear and correctly concluded that 
the other Iowa regiments were righting to get out, and' so I determined 
to go back and help them, but after going a short distance the firing 
ceased, which caused me to conclude that they had surrendered, which 
conclusion was correct, as we found out afterward. We then formed 
a line across the road and held the enemy in check until the last line of 
the day was formed, which gave the rebels the final repulsion that bloody 
day. On taking position on this line. I assumed command of the divi- 
sion and Col. Crocker took charge of the brigade. 

I refer to rebel reports in the 10th volume of official record of the re- 
bellion, Union and Confederate armies, issued by the War Department: 
Gen. Bragg, page 465; Gen. Gibson, 480, 483, 484; Col. Pugh, 485; Gen. 

Patton Anderson. 4HS; Col. , 455; Gen. Hardie, 508-9; Col. , 

574; Col. Pagan, 488; Gen. Cheatham, 438; B. R. Johnson, 444. 



The Second Regiment. 

Colonel Godfrey stated that he had prepared no written report of the 
damages of the Second Regiment on the fateful battlefield of Shiloh, and 
he could only give a few matters of history from memory. He remem- 
bered that on the morning of the great battle the regiment was marched 
out on the field, and while he would not claim that the regiment did as 
good fighting as some of the other regiments, he would assert that his 
regiment did some work on that day that was very important in the hold- 
ing of the position. At the time, he was a Second Lieutenant of one of 
the companies, and he gave a graphic account of the scenes of the day. 
He promised that himself and others would prepare a report from mem- 
ory and have it published with the proceedings. From some unknown 
reason no report had ever been made of the doings of that regiment on 
the Shiloh battlefield, and there was no official record of it. 

General Weaver, at the close of Colonel Godfrey's speech, arose and 
made a few remarks. 



The Seventh Regiment. 
The following is the report of the part taken by the Seventh Iowa 
Infantry Volunteers at the battle of Pittsburg Landing, or Shiloh, Ten- 
nessee, on the 6th, 7th and 8th of April, 1862: 

On Sunday morning, April 6th, 1862, the regiment was undergoing 
its usual Sunday morning inspection, when at about eight o'clock a. m. 1 



16 FIRST REUNION OF THE 



received orders from Colonel Tuttle, who commanded the Brigade, to 
hold my regiment in readiness for a forward movement (the enemy hav- 
ing attacked our outposts.) 

The regiment was immediately formed, and about nine o'clock A. m. 
it was ordered to move forward, and it took position on the left of the 
Second Iowa Infantry Volunteers. The command then moved forward 
by the fiank until within a short distance of the advancing rebels, when 
the regiment was formed in line of battle, at the time being in heavy 
timber, when we advanced to the edge of a field, from which position we 
got a view of a portion of the rebel forces. I oixlered my men to lie 
down, at the same time to hold themselves in readiness to resist any at- 
tack, which they did, and remained in that position, resisting all attacks 
from the enemy, which was done with great gallantry, and holding every 
inch of ground it had gained in the morning, being all the time under a 
galling fire of cannister, grape and shell, winch did considerable execu- 
tion in our ranks, killing several of my men and wounding others. At 
about five o'clock p. M. the regiment was ordered to fall back, which was 
done in good order, and passed through a most galling fire from the ene- 
my, who had nearly surrounded us, and many of the brave boys of Iowa 
were cut down. My color-bearer, Summers, was fairly riddled wi h bul- 
lets, but thanks to one of the color-guard, Corporal Alex Fields, who 
caught the colors and bore them safely from the bloody conflict. When 
we got into the timber the order was given to rally, and the men obeyed 
the command and a good line was formed and the enemy was held in 
check for some time, when it was again ordered to fall back upon the 
main river road, where we bivouacked for the night, exposed to a very 
hard rain and all the discomforts of a soldier's life. 

On the morning of the 7th the gallant boys were ready for a forward 
movement, and it was not long before we struck the enemy, and from 
the heroic bearing of the Iowa boys the enemy began to fall back, and 
they were driven all day; at night the 7th returned to camp and for the 
first time in two days had something warm to eat and got a comfortable 
night's rest. 

On Tuesday, April 8th, I again moved the regiment forward about 
two miles, and remained in line all day, not getting in sight or hearing 
anything from the enemy, and at night returned to camp in good order 
and enjoyed what comforts there are in camp life for a soldier. 

I am proud to say that the officers and men of my regiment did 
their duty as true and 'tried soldiers, and did not detract one particle from 
their previous gallant conduct on the bloody fields, and our noble and 
great State of Iowa should and will feel proud of her heroic sons. 

The following are the casualties sustained by the Seventh Regiment 
Iowa Infantry Volunteers in the three days' contest at Shiloh, Tennessee: 
One lieutenant and ten privates killed on the field, seventeen privates 
wounded and six privates missing, making an aggregate of thirty-four 
killed, wounded and missing. J. C. Parrott, 

October 25th, 1887. Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding Regiment. 



The Eighth Regiment. 
Colonel W. B. Bell, of the Eighth Iowa, made the following report: 
In compliance with agreement between the several regiments repre- 
sented here, I have the honor to submit the following report of the part 
taken by Eighth Regiment of Iowa Infantry in the battle of Shiloh, April 
Hth, 18*52, with the design of supplementing the record so as to more fully 
give a due meed of praise to the memory of the dead, and justice to the 



17 
IOWA hornet's nest brigade. 

Hrt* members oMtenJg^ «g ^[St'lJh &£? J^Sl 
deavor to avoid the mention ot any ^gunee well . eavnert laurels. 

ion as to the geneialfacto ,f Jfc g XX P rive a dScrlpUon o°£ the tield 

£Kto^SSta!SSS camp to the field and throughout the en- 

^Thelegiment formed on the color line abootd^^L - «J 
remained under arms awaiting orders. .. i ^ 1 ™S™SmS5 to all that 
front kept increasing in volume, and it ^^came^evi oe t 

we were being attacked m force, .^gj^fffiffij the regiment 
half an hour, during ^^^^^ggSy of ammunition waslssued 
was loaded on the wagons and anex <i suppry 01 <i d Illinois 

to the men, the regiment ™ <^ed jy <£loi On arriving at our ad- 
Brigade Commander, to proce ed ^to ^e ftont U naw „ 
vanled hue the -^SSS S2S l?th Iowa fTeing 
tion on the left ot a ongaae to wiutu ' osition our ranks were opened 
next on our right. Soon after J^mg this posrti on o ^ ^ ^ 

to allow a section of artilleiy to pass ^W * * f ft emy 

front, that in a short time became engaged with a baueiy / t 

that was placed in a field to our right front ^.Jfjgii&fflrti suf- 
our battery was disabled, ^d passed to our iej™ 1 ^ regiment 
fered a loss of several men killed Aboutll ocm a. ^ the 

was ordered by Colonel Swee ney, thiough L f ~ j s left a fi f ron t. 
8th Iowa, to leave this position aid take a g lomia °ii of the 

tie, facing a litt e south of ^! n t ^ e d ^™| °* S, and an abandoned 
and the right wing a S^^VSSSlS somewhat to our right and 
road crossed our line at om center ™^ e T^iderable underbrush 
front, with heavy timber all along on front ^^^J und . Altogeth- 
and small timber, the line being at to* ^^ffiSatdy engaged the 
er it was a strong position. ^ jnisposiuon we n back 

enemy, and after about an ^m » duiataoi t ^ jemy d ft bat . 

with heavv loss. About one o clock p. m. Irene J f ai * ie t £ nt with iu . 
tery in position in front and near Renter of the regim ^ 
structions to defend it to the last ine me theveiore became an 

havoc in the advancing columns of the en em y. ±™ ^ Tq 

object of great importance to , then to gain P^e^ mn on our pos ition. 
this end they concentrated and hurled a heavy cm ^ ^ y 

( )ur men, lying down on the crest ot tiie nig » ^ ^ ^ gatls _ 
and, after a severe and prolonged straggle °^ n J e discouragec l, our brave 
faction of driving back the enemy : , ! ?SSSSe 1 ^ SumbSS and fury, and a 
enemy returned to the ^^.J^^^S^SSoa of the battery, 
struggle then^ commenced for the ^f ™ed %n oS center to the very 
of a terrific character. The enemy c^argea upu ^ ^ cap 



18 FIRST REUNION OF THE 



gle the 8th ever made in battle, all the horses and all the men in this bat- 
tery were killed, except possibly two men, and the commanding officer of 
the 8th, at this time, reported our loss in this charge at one hundred in 
killed and wounded. 

Between 3 and 4 o'clock p. m. it became evident that the enemy were 
turning our right and left flanks rapidly. I quote from Colonel Geddes' 
report of this engagement: "I could at this time have retreated and most 
likely have saved my command from being captured, had I at this time 
been ordered back, but I received no such order, and I considered it my 
duty to hold the position that I was assigned to defend at all hazards." 
The appearance of the enemy's lines at this time, having so far turned 
our flanks, that they might be compared to an "ox bow" with the opera- 
tion of bending about two-thirds completed, with the bow to the south 
and the ends to the north. At this time the regiment changed front to 
the left. The new formation completed, our right now rests within a few 
rods of our late left and at right angles with our former line and facing 
nearly to the east. After remaining in this position for, say nearly half 
an hour, the enemy came pressing on and the regiment became hotly en- 
gaged. The enemy all the time could be seen pressing back our Hanks. 
After having been engaged in this position for half an hour or more we 
were now attacked on three sides — front, right hank and rear— and the 
enemy's lines at this time might again be compared to the "ox-bow," with 
the bend completed, the sides being parallel; or to a hornet's nest laid on 
the ground horizontally, with the apex to the south. Accepting this de- 
scription of the ground held by our center at this particular time, I locate 
the 8th on the east side of the "hornet's nest," with its right resting near 
the apex, or south end, and as before stated, under lire from three direc- 
tions. The position of the regiment was no longer tenable, and we re- 
treated by the left flank, coming down a ravine, and still hoping to es- 
cape, but when the regiment arrived at a point near the camp of the 3rd 
Iowa Infantry it discovered that the "ox yoke" had been slipped onto the 
"bow," or that the main entrance to the "hornet's nest" was closed by 
great swarms of rebels, and that exit by the only route was cut off, and 
the regiment found itself, with many others, prisoners of war. From the 
foregoing the inference is unavoidable that the 8th was the last to come 
away from our advanced line. 

I again quote from the report made to the Governor of Iowa, Novem- 
ber 13th, 1862, by the late lamented Geddes, who commanded the regi- 
ment during the engagement: "To prevent annihilation it became abso- 
lutely necessary to leave a position which my regiment had held for near- 
ly ten consecutive hours of severe fighting." Again I quote : "Myself and 
the major portion of my command were captured at six o'clock p. m., and 
I claim the honor for my regiment of being the last to leave the advance 
line of our army on the battlefield of Shiloh, on Sunday, the 6th day of 
April, 1862." 

The question arises, if the foregoing quotations from the record are 
correct, why is it necessary to reproduce them or to refer in any way to 
the part taken by the regiment in that battle '? I answer, the report was 
current all over the country, immediately after the battle, that the regi- 
ment with others was taken prisoners early in the morning in its camp 
and that the regiment was a part of Prentiss' Division. The report from 
which I have quoted was not made until seven months after the battle; 
the war still in progress, the report, it seems, did not arrest the attention 
of either army or the public, generally, and the impression yet prevails to 
some extent that the regiment was captured in the morning. 

I close this report by stating my convictions as to the relative posj. 



IOWA hornet's nest brigade. 19 



tions of the regiments, say a short time before our capture, and I base 
my opinion on personal observation and the reports of regimental com- 
manders. Continuing to use the figure of an "ox bow," I would place 
the 2d and 7th Iowa at the end of the "bow," on the west side of the 
"bow" facing south of west, and the 8th, 12th and 14th regiments on the 
east side of the "bow," facing east, and when the "Bishop" came in from 
west with the "yoke" to place it on the ends of the "bow," the 2d and 7th 
"declined" and retired, the 12th and 14th having previously passed across 
the space of about 150 yards from the west side, or "bow," to the east, on 
the left of the 8th, and were so busily engaged fighting "hornets" that 
they could not prevent the "Bishop" from placing the "yoke" on the 
"bow" and driving home the "keys" and thus enclosing them in the "Hor- 
net's Nest." 

An accurate report of the number of killed and wounded is asked 
for. The only reliable authority that I know of is the reports of regi- 
ments to the Adjutant General of the State, where the killed and wound- 
ed are accounted for by name. I am aware that in the case of the 8th, 
and no doubt the same is true of the other regiments, that men are known 
to have been wounded that are not so reported. The following is the 
number, as shown in Vol. 2d, Adjutant's report, January 1st, 1863: 

Commissioned officers killed 1 

Commissioned officers wounded 8 

Total 9 

Enlisted men killed 33 

Enlisted men wounded 104 

Enlisted men missing 18 

Total 155 

Aggregate 164 

Commissioned officers prisoners 16 

Enlisted men prisoners 336 

Aggregate killed, wounded and prisoners 516 

Respectfully submitted, W. B. Bell, 

Late Lieutenant-Colonel 8th Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and Brevet- 
Colonel IT. 8. Volunteers. 



The Twelfth Regiment. 

The 12th Iowa at Shiloh and the "Hornet's Nest: 

On the morning of April 6th, 1862, the rebels having attacked our" 
advanced lines at Shiloh, Tennessee, the 12th Iowa Infantry Volunteers 
were rapidly formed and joined the other regiments, 2d, 7th and 14th, of 
the Iowa Brigade, being the first brigade, under Brigadier-General Tuttle 
of the second division under General Wallace. The brigade was marched 
to near the field beyond General Hurlbut's headquarters, and formed line 
of battle, the 2d and 7th on our right, the 14th on our left. The 8th Iowa, 
of Prentiss' Division, was on the left of the 14th, forming an angle to the 
rear with our line; an open field lay in front of our right, dense timber 
covered our left, and a small ravine was immediately behind us. In this 
position we awaited the approach of the enemy. Soon he made a bold 
attack on us, but met with a warm reception, and soon we repulsed him. 
Again and again repeatedly did he attack us, trying vainly to drive us 



20 FIItST REUNION OF THE 



from our position. On the contrary we repulsed every attack of the ene- 
my and drove him back in confusion. Thus matters stood in our front 
until about four o'clock p. m., at which time it became evident by the fir- 
ing on our left that the enemy were getting in our rear. An aid-de-camp 
rode up and directed me to face to the rear and fall back, stating in an- 
swer to my inquiry that I would receive orders as to the position I was 
to occupy. No such orders reached me, and I suppose could not. The 
2d and 7th Iowa had already gone to the rear, and on reaching the high 
ground between our position and General Hurlbut's headquarters we dis- 
covered that we were already surrounded by the enemy, caused by no 
fault of our own, but by the troops at a distance from us on our right and 
left giving away before the enemy. Seeing ourselves surrounded we 
nevertheless opened a brisk fire on that portion of the enemy that blocked 
our passage to the landing, who, after briskly returning our fire for a 
short time, fell back. A brisk fire from the enemy on our left (previous 
right)was going on at the same time. Seeing the enemy in front falling 
back we attempted by a rapid movement to cut our way through, but the 
enemy on our left advanced rapidly, coming in behind us and pouring 
into our ranks a most destructive fire. The enemy in front faced about 
and opened on us at short range, the enemy in our rear still closing in on 
us rapidly. I received two wounds, disabling me from duty. The com- 
mand then devolved on Captain Edgington acting as field officer. 

The above is an extract from Colonel Wood's report of the doings of 
the 12th Iowa Regiment in that eventful day's battle, therefore I only 
finish the report with what took place after I assumed command: 

Colonel Wood fixes the place where he fell disabled, having received 
two wounds, as being just before the regiment reached the tents of the 
Third Iowa. The head of the column had passed a little beyond the tents 
of the Third Iowa when they encountered a heavy force of rebels, Gener- 
al Polk's Division, only a few steps away. Here our column halted, and 
seeing the perilous condition of the regiment I went quickly to the head 
of the column to ask Colonel Wood why the regiment halted there. Not 
finding Colonel Wood, and not learning anything of his fate, then being 
the senior officer I assumed command and ordered right dress, which was 
immediately obeyed with as much apparent coolness as at dress parade. 
I called for the company commanders to confer with for a moment. 
From some of them who heard my request and came to me I learned that 
the ammunition was nearly gone and getting less every moment. A reb- 
el officer rode up to me carrying a white flag and demanded a surrender 
of my command. I asked him his rank and he told me he was a lieuten- 
ant on the staff of General Polk. I promptly ordered him away, saying 
to him I would confer with no officer below my own rank. lie imme- 
diately left and then firing was resumed. After a short interval another 
rebel officer rode up to me, displaying a white fiag and demanding a sur- 
render of my command, gruffly saying he could not hold the fire of his 
men. He informed me he held the rank of captain. I replied to him 
that I had no thought of such a thing as surrender, that my command 
were fighting men. I dismissed him, telling him not to stand on the or- 
der of his going and not to send any more demands for a surrender, as I 
would shoot down any officer attempting again to approach me with a 
white fiag. All that seemed possible to gain by holding out was time, 
that our army down by the river, where there was much water, would 
rally and come to our rescue. They came not. Our ammunition gone, 
the supreme moment came, and the regiment was surrendered prisoners 
of war. 



IOWA hornet's nest brigade. 



21 



fc ft 3 

o w S 

fc S ij p 



33 8 12 

Company A 52 n 

Company B ' " 43 4 13 

Company C " ' g^ 3 14 

Company D " ' 41 • 3 to 

Company E " ' 51 3 18 

Company F 52 l 6 

Company G 41 7 

Company H 35 1 7 

Company I. 36 1 6 

C * m AU n offiMra and men that were "in" action that clay were either killed, 
woutdefofSptoed. 6 Kone escaped through *-^^^ i 

President Twelfth Iowa Veteran Association, Eldora, Iowa. 

The Fourteenth Regiment. 
The report made to Samuel J Kirkwood L Governor of J*™. 0*g« 

are, however, a few slight mi ^kes that m ^ way 1 g ion of Gen . 

duct of the regiment: On page 15^ m speafcmgot ^e p l 

Prentiss' troops, I g J™ * « ™f<^ General was^stakS as to his posi- 

have since become satisfied that the $ n OiTthe morning of April 6th, 

tion, and that it was further to the left On t he m oriuu g 1 

1862 heavy firing was heard about sunrise and "YSgglers began to 

creased until about 8 a. m. when the pounded ^ ^rf d t ^ which 

come in from the front. Between g s and ^9 ! a m Turtle t Dngaa 

the 14th Iowa belonged, and winch was a part ot the r^erve 

to move towards the, front. ^^^^^^T^Sb fleeing 

crowds of men belonging to » Prentiss and g &erm<m § ^ 

towards the Landing, who said ^/ e ^ e T S Xsed General Hurlbut's 
that the enemy was cl°se upon us. As 1 pa^e^n t t 

camps I met Lieutenant .W^^ore, 21st ^^£^3 about sixty 
He said he and Adjutant Tobm, of the same legime ^ 

men, all there were left of his > regmi e it, and that he woum of 

with my regiment and see the fight out ipiam uie brigade soon 

regiment, where they remained the rest of the day ine M5 rQad 
came in sight of the enemy * ™f*X^ended ^to the left into the thick 

S^ r atoSm T rd S toe'K« S||5 *e Uth extended 

into the timber with a dense thicket 111 front of them. 

" hnfwas scarcely formed when th^nemy opened a b^fire of 

artillery upon us. Soon S^^^^aiS^Mrf^l2thi Reserv- 
the left of the field upon the 14th and the left wing o± tne i^n. 
ing their fire till the enemy was within thirty paces, tne i*u 



22 FIRST REUNION OF THE 



opened upon them and drove them back with heavy loss. They soon ral- 
lied, however, attacked us a second time and were a second time driven 
back, leaving many of their dead and wounded in the timber and brush. 
These troops, after their second repulse, withdrew out of sight. Then a 
large body of the enemy was seen to enter the open ground in front of 
the 2d and 7th regiments, who opened upon them at long range; but they 
continued to advance until they had reached the middle of the clear 
ground, when they broke in confusion and retired to the rear. There was 
now a short pause in the rattle of musketry in our front. The artillery 
continued to send shot and shell over our heads, doing little harm. At 
this time my commissary sergeant, Robert Dott, whom I had sent to the 
front and left to ascertain if the enemy was in that direction, reported a 
heavy force approaching which overlapped my left, and there being no 
federal troops in sight in that direction, I reported the situation to Colon- 
el Tuttle, commanding brigade. 

At my request he sent me two brass six-pounders which I immediate- 
ly trained into position on the old road in front of my line so as to sweep 
the space to the left. Colonel Geddes, 8th Iowa, whose regiment was 
about 200 yards in our rear, now came to me and offered to place his men 
on my left, and to my great satisfaction I saw his fine regiment form on 
my left, making a slight angle to the rear across the ridge at the head of 
the hollow. The disposition of the forces was scarcely made when the 
enemy dashed furiously upon us. They were well received by the 8th 
and 15th Iowa, our two brass six-pounders (of the First Minnesota bat- 
tery) sending cannister down the old road, giving them an enfilading lire, 
which, with the steady work of the muskets of the 8th, 14th and 12th, 
soon sent them dying to the rear. Again and again they rallied and re- 
turned to attack, but they were repulsed every time and retired to cover. 

This was the severest fighting of the day and seemed to fall most 
heavily upon the 8th Iowa, but this I imagine was due more to their ex- 
posed position on the ridge above the hollow, while the 12th and 14th 
were partially protected by a slight rise of ground in front of them. 
However this may be, the 8th suffered very severely, and the 14th at this 
hour had met with very few casualties. The enemy vainly attempted to 
force us from our position and finally withdrew beyond musket range. 
Then, about 3:30 p. m., Colonel Geddes withdrew from the position he had 
so gallantly held and I moved into his position, as the fighting seemed to 
be working around to our left. But, looking across the open space in 
front of the right of our brigade, I saw a body of the enemy moving 
around to the left of the field and approaching the position I formerly 
occupied. I immediately moved back, getting into position just in time 
to receive the attack and repulse them. Glancing toward the 12th Iowa 
I perceived it had faced about and was moving toward the rear, and still 
further down the line I saw the 7th and 2d had moved their position and 
were not in sight from where I was standing. I went to Colonel Wood, 
12th Iowa, and asked him what it meant; he replied that they had re- 
ceived orders to about face and fall back, or something to that effect. 
Considering the order as also applying to me-, or perhaps not being willing 
to be left alone, I faced about, too, and moved toward the top of the ridge 
in our rear. 

On reaching the top of the ridge I perceived a crowd of men in fed- 
eral uniforms approaching in great confusion. Moving obliquely to let 
them pass, my left Hank (former right) became separated from the 12th. 
The disorganized column that had come upon us, instead of passing on, 
halted and made no attempt to form in line. After trying with my field 
and line officers to rally them, and finding I could do nothing, and the 



IOWA hoknet's nest brigade reunion. 23 



enemy who had driven them back having opened fire upon us, I left this 
disorganized mass and returned to my own men. In the meantime they 
continued to follow along the side of the ridge and were soon out of sight. 
These men were the 23d Missouri, and fragments of the 18th Wisconsin 
and 12th Michigan, of Prentiss' division. Gen. Prentiss was also with 
them. The troops I had repulsed were now approaching across the open 
ground, there being nothing to obstruct them. The heaviest artillery fire 
1 ever heard opened from the timber beyond the field and timber, and the 
enemy who had driven in Prentiss opened in front of me. For the first 
time that day, I saw my men falling rapidly around me. This was no 
fault of mine; I had no choice of ground; the enemy were on all sides of 
me; no other federal troops were in sight. It was necessary to take 
prompt action. I ordered an advance, and the regiment gallantly re- 
sponded to the order. We drove the enemy before us causing him to fall 
back rapidly. Hoping to reach the road leading to the Landing, I moved 
by the fiank along the face of the ridge, and as I did so perceived ahead 
of me among some tents another confused mass of federal blue, confed- 
erate gray, and a good deal more gray than blue. 

Changing the direction of my column I moved rapidly down the face 
of the ridge and across the hollow, and ascending the rising ground, I 
ran into Gen. Chalmers' confederate brigade. After exchanging the com- 
pliments usual on such occasions witli Maj. F. E. Whitfield, commanding 
the 9th Mississippi, and being informed by him that I was entirely sur- 
rounded (a fact that I was tolerably well satisfied of before) and that the 
rest of our troops had surrendered, he advised me to surrender. I accept- 
ed his advice, and turning to the boys who up to this time had preserved 
their line in good order, 1 gave the command: "Right, dress! shoulder 
arms! stack arms!" and that ended our fight for April 6th, 1862. It was 
now 5:45 in the afternoon. It may be proper here to remark that every 
statement in the above account is fully corroborated by the Confederate 
reports, a few extracts from which I will here make. 

The first attack on our position was made by Hindman's two bri- 
gades, but as he made no report, I give General Bragg's account of it. 
Bragg, page 46B, Vol. X, R. Records, says in speaking of the attack on 
this position: "Hindman's command was gallantly led to the attack, but 
recoiled under a murderous fire. The noble and gallant leader fell, se- 
verely wounded, and was borne from the field. * * * The command 
soon returned to the work, but was unequal to the heavy task. Leaving 
them to hold their position, I moved further to the right and brought up 
the First Brigade (Gibson's.)" While Bragg was after Gibson's brigade, 
General Cheathams, of Polk's corps, came up with his division. He says, 
page 438, Vol. X, R. R.: "About ten A. M. I reached the front of an open 
field lying east of the center of the federal line of encampments, and dis- 
covered the enemy in strong force, occupying several log houses. His 
line extended along a fence and occupied an abandoned road. At this 
time General Breckenridge with his command came up and took position 
on my right and opened a heavy fire of musketry. * * * I at once 
put the brigade in motion at double quick time across the open field, 
about 3(Nl yards in width, flanked on one side by a fence and dense thicket 
of forest trees and undergrowth. 8o soon as the brigade entered the field 
the enemy opened upon us from their entire front a terrific fire of infant- 
ry and artillery, but failed altogether to check us until we reached the 
center of the field, where another part of the enemy's force, concealed and 
protected by the fence and thicket on our left, opened a murderous cross- 
fire on our lines, which caused my command to halt and return their fire. 
After a short time I fell back to my original position and marched a short 
distance to the right, with General Breckenridge on my right" I make this 



24 FIRST REUNION OF THE 



extract from General Cheatham's report, not because the 14th took any 
part in that tight, but because it locates our position. The fighting was 
done by the 12th, 7th and 2d after we had sent Hindman to the rear. In 
the meantime Bragg had brought up Gibson's brigade and was advancing 
on our left, consisting of the 8th and 14th Iowa, and two guns of the 
First Minnesota Battery. Bragg says, page 4fiti: "I threw them (Gibson's 
brigade) forward to attack this same point. [The point from which Hind- 
man had been repulsed.] 

A very heavy fire soon opened, and after a short conflict this com- 
mand fell back in considerable confusion. * * * They were twice 
more moved to the attack only to be driven back by the enemy's sharp- 
shooters occupying the thick cover. Finding that nothing could be done, 
here, after hours of severe exertion and heavy losses * * * the troops 
were so posted as to hold the position. * * * Gen. Gibson is more 
particular in speaking of the same attack. Page 480 says: "I was com- 
manded by Major General Bragg to attack the enemy on the front and 
right. The brigade moved forward in fine style. * * * On the left a 
battery opened that raked our flank, while a steady Are of musketry ex- 
tended along the entire front. Under this continued Are our line was 
broken and the troops fell back; but they soon rallied and advanced to 
the contest. Four times the position was charged and four times the 
assault proved unavailing." 

It was after this action that Colonel Geddes, 8th Iowa, withdrew 
leaving the left of the brigade in air with no federal troops in sight in 
that direction. Here the 14th was again attacked by Patton Anderson's 
brigade, and repulsed it. After the repulse of Gibson's brigade, General 
Anderson, of Ruggles' division, came up in the rear of the Duncan Aeld 
with his (2d) brigade, and being joined by the Crescent regiment, Pond's 
brigade, a consultation was held, and Anderson moved to the right, 
around the Ross Aeld, through the thicket that had already been so fatal 
to Hindman's and Gibson's commands, and charged upon the 12th and 
14th, with the usual results. Anderson, in describing this action, says, 
page 498: "I determined to move around my right a short distance, let- 
ting Colonel Smith (Crescent regiment) go to the left, and from the posi- 
tions thus obtained to make a simultaneous movement upon the infantry 
supporting the battery, while a section of our Aeld pieces engaged them 
in front. In moving forward through the thick underbrush before 
alluded to, I met a portion of a Louisiana regiment (13th, I think; the 
13th was in Gibson's division), returning, and its officers informed me 
that I could not get through the brush. I pushed forward, however, and 
crossed the ravine and commenced the ascent of the opposite slope, when 
a galling fire from infantry and canister from howitzers swept through 
my ranks with deadly effect. * * * AVe fell back. Here you can see 
the same result of every attack upon Tuttle's brigade — they were 
repulsed. 

Now I will quote from General Ruggles, commanding first division, 
Bragg's corps, giving an account of the closing act which resulted in the 
capture of the three Iowa regiments and the 23rd Missouri, and a few 
regiments of Prentiss' division, rallied by him after his defeat in the 
morning, and which had done good service to the left of the Iowa bri- 
gage. (ieneral Ruggles, page 472, says: "Discovering the enemy in con- 
siderable numbers moving through the forest on the lower margin of an 
open field in front, I obtained Trabue's and Stanford's light batteries and 
brought them into action, and directed their fire upon the masses of the 
enemy pressing forward toward our right, engaged in a fierce contest 
with our forces then advancing against him in that direction. I directed 



IOWA hornet's nest brigade. 25 

my staff officers at the same time to bring forward all the field guns they 
could collect from the left toward the right as rapidly as possible, result- 
ing in the concentration of the following batteries, commencing on the 
right and extending to the left: 1st, Capt. Trabue's, Ky.; 2d, Capt. Burns', 
Miss.; 3rd, Lieut. Thrall's section of Capt. Hubbard's, Ark.; 4th, Capt. 
Sweet's, Miss.; Capt. Trogg's and 6th, Captain Roberts', Ark.; 7th, Capt. 
Rutledge's; 8th, Capt. Robertson's (12-pounder Napoleon guns) Ala.; Vith, 
Capt. Stanford's, Miss.; 10th, Capt. Bankhead's, Tenn.; 11th, Hodgson's 
Washington Artillery, La., extending in succession to the left, toward the 
position already designated as occupied by Capt. Ketchum's Alabama 
Battery." "For a brief period the enemy apparently gained ground, and 
when the conflict was at its height these batteries opened upon his con- 
centrated forces, enfilading Prentiss' division on his right flank, produc- 
ing immediate commotion and soon resulted in the precipitate retreat of 
the enemy from the contest." "At this moment the second brigade (An- 
derson's) and the Crescent regiment pressed forward and cut off a consid- 
erable portion of the enemy comprising Prentiss' division, who surren- 
dered to the Crescent regiment of my command then pressing upon his 
rear." 

Where General Ruggles speaks of enfilading Prentiss' division on the 
right, there were no federal troops in sight except the 12th and 14th Iowa. 
Prentiss' men and the 8th Iowa were over the ridge out of sight to the 
rear, and the "immediate commotion" was caused by Prentiss' men pass- 
ing my left in confusion from the rear, and the "soon resulting in the 
precipitate retreat of the enemy from the contest," was the advance of 
the 14th Iowa upon the troops that had driven in Prentiss and attacked 
me while I was trying to rally Prentiss' men. I will make but one more 
quotation from confederate authority, from Maj. F. E. Whitfield, to 
whom I surrendered. In a letter addressed to me on the occasion of a 
party of Union soldiers visiting the battle field of Shiloh, April 6th, 1884, 
he says: 

"It was a curious vicissitude of war that repaid with captivity the 
courage and gallantry that held its position last upon the field, where you 
held your regiment and part of another (21st Missouri) fighting gallantly 
in open field, with perfect line and well dressed ranks, long after the reg- 
iments on your flanks had fled, and yielded only when assaulted both in 
front and rear." 

But I need make no further quotations from Confederate reports. 
Suffice it to say the position held by the 12th, 14th and 8th Iowa was what 
is called at this time the "Hornet's Nest." They, with two guns of the 
First Minnesota and two guns of Welcher's Missouri Battery, were the 
only troops there. The 2d and 7th took no part in the actions on the left, 
but maintained their ground in front of the open fields. (Ross & Duncan's.) 

W. T. Shaw. 

Anamosa, Iowa, October 12th, 1887. 



The committee on f ermanent organization then made the following 
report: Comrades, your committee on permanent organization respectful- 
ly submit the following Constitution for your adoption. (See Constitu- 
tion on page 4.) 

Your committee further recommend the following named comrades 
for 



26 FIRST REUNION OF THE 



OFFICERS OF THE ASSOCIATION. 

PRESIDENT : 

J. M. Tuttle, Des Moines, Iowa. 

VICE-PRESIDENTS : 

S. A. Moore, Second Iowa, Bloomfleld, Iowa. 
J. C. Parrott, Seventh Iowa, Keokuk, Iowa. 
D. Ryan, Eighth Iowa, Newton, Iowa. 
S. R. Edgington, Twelfth Iowa, Eldora, Iowa. 
W. T. Shaw, Fourteenth Iowa, Anamosa, Iowa. 

SECRETARY : 

R. L. Turner, Eighth Iowa, Oskaloosa, Iowa. 

TREASURER : 

V. P. Twombly, Second Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa. 

fG. L. Godfrey, 
[ Major Mahon, 
Committee^ De Witt .Stearns, 
Captain Sopher, 
Captain Campbell. 



( hi motion the report of the committee was accepted. 

It was moved and seconded that the Constitution, as presented by 
the committee, be adopted. Motion carried. 

The above named comrades presented by the committee were duly 
elected as officers of the association. 

The meeting then adjourned to meet at the Opera House at 9:30 a. m., 
October 13th, 1887. R. L. Turner, Secretary. 



IOWA HORNET'S NEST BRIGADE REUNION. 27 



Camp Fire Programme. 



7:30 p. m— Music by Glee Club, "When Johnny Comes Marching Home." 

Prayer by Chaplain. 

TOASTS — Responses Limited to Fifteen Minutes Each. 

OUR STATE AND NATION— Both Have Our Allegiance— Our Lives 

and Services are at Their Command. 

Response by Col. W. B. Bell, Eighth Iowa. 
IOWA'S "HORNET'S NEST BRIGADE"— By Heroically Sacrificing 
Themselves They Won the Battle and Saved the Army at Shiloh. 
Response by General J. M. Tuttle, Second Iowa. 
ARMY MULES AND CHAPLAINS— Our Main Reliances for Physic- 
al and Spiritual Support. 

Response by Colonel D. J. Palmer, Eighth Iowa. 
Music by Glee Club, "Tenting To-night." 

THE INFANTRY— The Strength of the Nation in War— The Hope of 
the Nation in Peace— The Militia Should be Well Drilled and the 
Children Thoroughly Educated. 

Response by J. W. Akers, Seventh Iowa. 
OUR MOTHERS, WIVES AND DAUGHTERS— "The Hand that 
Rocks the Cradle is the Hand that Rules the World." 

Response by General J. B. Weaver, Second Iowa. 
DISABLED SOLDIERS— They Gave Their Strength to the Government 
When it was Weak— The Government Should Now Provide for All 
Disabled Soldiers, Without Regard to the Time When, or the Place 
Where, the Disability was Incurred. 

Response by Colonel D. Ryan, Eighth Iowa. 
Martial Music by Knoxville Band, "Dixie." 

THE CONFEDERATE ARMY— Our Equals in Battle and Citizenship 
— "Let Us Have Peace." 

Response by Major Samuel Maiion, Seventh Iowa. 
THE SONS OF VETERANS— They Will be True to Right and the 

"Old Flag." 

Response by John A. McCall. 

THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE— The Best and Largest Por- 
tion of Our Number— "Enshrined in Our Hearts, They Shall Live in 
Our Memory Forever." 

Response by Major W. II. Calkins, Fourteenth Iowa. 

Music by Glee Club, "The Soldier's Farewell." 



28 FIRST REUNION OF THE 



Camp Fire. 



At 7 :30 o'clock in the evening the Brigade again assembled for the 
purpose of hearing a treat in the shape of addresses and responses. Ad- 
mission had been only by ticket, but the house was filled and the pro- 
gramme was carried out in full. The music of the Glee Club, composed 
of Mrs. Allie 8. Cheek, Miss Lida Evans, Mrs. Hiram Robinson, Mrs. J. 
S. Plumly, Mr. J. W. Muffley, Mr. W. E. Barrett, Mr. M. P. Givens and 
Mr. P. H. Bristow, in their excellent rendering of the old army songs, ad- 
ded very greatly to the enjoyment of the occasion. After music by the 
Glee Club, followed by prayer by the Bev. Shipman, the responses to the 
several toasts were given : 

Colonel W. B. Bell responded to the toast, "Our State and Nation — 

both have our allegiance — our lives and services are at their command." 

He said : 

The sentiment just read introduces a fruitful theme and calls for so- 
ber, serious thought, in response I ask, what is the State, what is the 
Nation? "What is their claim upon us? Do we willingly acknowledge 
their claim ? Way back in the morning of creation civilization existed. 
Later on we find it recorded in the sacred volume, "Be subject to the 
powers that be, for they are ordained of God," and seemingly by divine 
authority civil governments have always claimed allegiance from their 
subjects, and in harmony with this view God seems to have implanted 
within the human heart love of country or native land that leads to de- 
votion, and if need be, to sacrifice. The State and Nation are one. This 
Nation was born when the Constitution was adopted. When the Declar- 
ation of Independence was written, and its trainers came to sign it, they 
declared that they would defend it with "their lives, their fortunes and 
their sacred honor." Did they keep that pledge ? The history that re- 
cords the trials and the privations of seven long, weary, wasteful years of 
war tell how grandly and heroically they kept that pledge, and from that 
small band of heroic men has grown in one century this great Nation of 
sixty millions of people — a growth in population, wealth and resources 
that has no parallel in history. That grand magna charta of liberty, the 
Constitution, welcomed to our shores and citizenship the oppressed of all 
Nations. But broad as the foundations were laid, and carefully as our 
fathers builded, and grand as the Constitution was, it was not perfect. 
It did not do justice to all men. African slavery was not only permitted, 



IOWA hornet's nest brigade. b » 

but flourished and was protected by that starry banner All ?™fejgions 
of love and loyalty are not sincere; all vows are not paid It is well _ toi 
us to remember, in a National point of view especially, that the heritage 
becmeaTed to us by our forefathers includes the consequences of the 
SKBSm and commission, as well as all that is righteous grand and 
true The results of the latter have been a blessing to us all along the 
years that hive since passed. About a quarter of a century ago we felt 
the effects of the sins of our forefathers. It was not possible for this Na- 
tion te Permanently exist, half slave and half free territory. The. irre- 
messibirconttict brought war, and as that great struggle progressed and 
gf^^Wccmtiniwd to increase, and Lthe jta^rffhe 
Government in its extremity became appalling, tm s Nation was humpiea 
and became willing that the oppressed should go ^ f a »d th« Nataon 
then realized that God rules and reigns m the affairs of Nations as wen 
as those of men. . ., a « ^ 

The men who administered this Government during the war, and the 
men who se?vld hi its armies, never signed the Declaration of Mgmt 
enee or helped to frame the Constitution; they were either bom into the 
togdom o? else they were adopted sons, Now, I believe in ado option 
"The adopted son is entitled to become heir." Now great hosts of the 
adooted sons of tliis country are unsurpassed in loyalty and patriotism. 
But as the War of the Rebellion demonstrated that our Constitution 
needed to be amended, likewise the action of some of ^ he adopted citizens 
of this country demonstrates that there is danger to the Nation m the in- 
discriminate adoption of men of foreign birth to citizenship 

Our Constitution needs to be again amended, viz.: To restrict foreign 
immigration to Sie St of excluding all those not in full harmony with 
SSiples of liberty, justice and equality upon which this Government 
is ^founded and also requiring a longer period of residence, or probation, 
thanTow S before any one of foreign birth can become a citizen 
of our common country. 

Now, my comrades, I have referred to our State and Nation, and con- 
clude that they are one and the same; have ref erred to the claim that it 
makes upon us, and conclude that they are just and right. Now have we 
So we acknowledge these claims ? All along during the centuries of ! the 
oast the pases of history record the devotion and valor of men foi countiy 
and counriYf cause ;bnt generally it has been for the ruler alone In 
tnfs countrl Unpeople mil and their will is the ?^£™^S& 
Their devotion to their country's cause during the late A\ ai olttieKe^ 
lion is unprecedented in the annals of history, and my comrades, the best 
evlden™tS your State and Nation have of your allegiance is your ex- 
ample When your "country called, you hastened to obey; and the reports 
r?ad here tc day giving an account of the part taken by these regiments 
[n the battle of Shioh, attest your devotion to your country's cause and 
Sat many of vo^comrades there paid their last and greatest tribute in 
t f dSeiL o/constitutional liberty, and to-day the old flag has more and 
better frilnds than it ever had before. I quote from the highes authori- 
ty that "without the shedding of blood there is ™*ZT1Z?^\yJo\ 
old flao- mav be said to have been baptized m blood during the v\ ar oi 
«ie Revolution by sprinkling, and during the War of the Rebellion by 
i^Snfbur. certain it is, the stars and stripes have not only been ded- 
Sated , but consecrated to the defense of human liberty by the best blood 
of the Nation. 

There was a time when men practiced wrong under the • prote ction of 
the flag but the War of the Rebellion purged out every stain. Cast tne 
old Snerto the breeze, and as its stars and stripes gracefully unfold, 



30 FIRST REUNION OF THE 



scan it closely, and yon will find not a stain, "blotch," wrinkle, or any 
such thing to mar its beauty. Xo one may now practice wrong and op- 
pression and claim its protection. No, no. The old flag, the Nation's 
emblem of power, contemplates no injustice to the most humble citizen, 
but demands a free ballot and an honest count, and sooner or later it will 
enforce its demands. 

Now, my old comrades, it is natural that you are solicitous for the 
well being and perpetuation of a Government that you love so well and 
for which you have done so much. Your example a. Shiloh and on many 
other fields of battle, will not be forgotten, but will live in history and in 
the hearts of our posterity. As I look over this audience and note the 
gray heads and white locks, I am reminded that the years are fast rolling 
by and that in a few more years all that mighty grand old army of the 
Republic will have passed away. The term of service of many will ex- 
pire with the year, and to such I would say, prepare your muster out rolls 
with care, and on your final discharges may the note "No objection to 
his re-enlisting is known to exist" be not erased. And during the re- 
maining days of your lives may you have an abiding faith that you leave 
the common heritage in good hands. Already a new generation is on the 
scene of action, the army has been born over again, and your sons are 
ready to take your places. Your mantles will fall on worthy shoulders, 
for remember, blood will tell. 

General J. M. Tuttle responded to the toast: "Iowa's Hornet's Nest 
Brigade. By Heroically Sacrificing Themselves They Won the Battle 
and Saved the Army at Shiloh." 

He thought that in placing this response in its present strong lan- 
guage he was taking a great responsibility, but he would state in all calm- 
ness and candor that the Hornet's Nest Brigade saved the day at Shiloh. 
He could say but little about the position which had been chosen for the 
brigade on that day, for it was himself that chose it. In fact, he did not 
know the old road into which they came and which proved so effective as 
a fortification until he had taken his position. The choice of position 
on that day was favorable, as the rebels could not tell where they were 
except by hearing the guns. The brigade had received much criticism 
because only a few soldiers had been killed, but he considered that he 
does best in battle who dares the most danger with least loss to himself. 
In some of the regiments of his brigade he believed that for every man 
killed a hundred rebels had fallen. He told of his conversations with oth- 
er commanding officers on the day of the battle; how, when the rebels 
had gained the famous road at Shiloh and held it against the assaults of 
BuelT's brigade; how he had told Buell of the way they had repulsed the 
rebels five successive times; of the efforts of the second day to break the 
force of the rebel victory. General Buell had taunted him with not hav- 
ing done anything nor had any fighting that amounted to anything; but 
he took Buell over the field where the dead lay so thick that one could 
walk upon their dead bodies, showed him the position of the respective 
opposing armies, and the commanding officer had been compelled to con- 
fess that there must have been terrible fighting. No two men had ever 
agreed concerning just what did take place at Shiloh. He and Colonel 
Shaw had quarreled about it and disputed over it for twenty-five years. 
But one of the things which all agreed upon, who were there or knew 
anything about it, was that the histories are wrong. He did not think, 
merely, but he knew positively that the popular accounts of history were 
wrong. But in regard to what is the truth, all do not agree. He gave a 
brief report of the movement of the brigade. Three of the regiments 



IOWA HORNET'S nest brigade. 31 



were captured and no one ever complained of that. The reports concern- 
ing this battle are very meagre. He had been compelled to write out the 
report of the day's doings from a sick bed. The General gave a graphic 
account of the details of the battle, explained many questions concerning 
his report of the same, and roused the boys by many allusions to the fam- 
ous battle in which they all participated. 

After General Tattle's response to "Iowa's Hornet's Brigade," a very 
pleasant event took place. General Tuttle called Samuel M. Chapman, 
of Plattsmouth, Nebraska, on the platform, and also Colonel Shaw. A 
handsome gold-headed cane was prodoced, and in a feeling speech Air. 
Chapman, in behalf of the members of the Fourteenth Regiment, present- 
ed the token to the veteran Colonel of the Regiment. Colonel Shaw re- 
sponded to the words in a fitting speech and was enthusiastically applaud- 
ed as he paid many tributes to the soldier in his comrade. 

Colonel D. J. Palmer responded to the toast, "Army Mules and Chap- 
lains—Our Main Reliance for Physical and Spiritual Support." 

Mr. President, Ladles and Gentlemen, and Comrades: — You have 
heard in every Fourth of July oration, or hue oratorical exercise on deco- 
ration day, or "camp-fire" talk, of the "volunteer soldier," the "veterans of 
the Grand Army," of the "rank and lile," of the brave deeds of valor done 
by the "boys in blue" on a "hundred battlefields," aye, of the "loyal wom- 
en," and obituaries to the "unknown," their valiant deeds their only 
vouchers. Rut my comrades, not one word have we heard of the loyalty 
of the chaplain or the patriotism of the army mule, and I am glad to be 
able here to-night to bear testimony to the loyalty of both. 

The chaplain, unlike Artemus Ward, who was willing to sacrifice all 
his wife's relations on the altar of his beloved country, took his own life 
in his hand and went forth to "dare or die." his loyalty having been here- 
tofore unappreciated by those learned in the "art of war." Yet it was 
demonstrated by the fact that the true chaplain was the man who had 
his country's good always in view; the true chaplain was the man who in 
his morning and evening devotions never forgot the boys who bore the 
heat and brunt of battle on the front line; the true chaplain was the man 
who was always ready with a word of encouragemnt to the sick or wound- 
ed comrade, either on the held or in the hospital, thereby giving comfort 
and spiritual strength to all with whom he came in contact. But it i s 
true, my comrades, that chaplains, like soldiers, were not all of this class. 
We had some chaplains who were not much for prayer, but were "light- 
ning on dress parade;" who, while they sometimes forgot their morning 
and evening devotions, never forgot "pay day," and were always on hand 
for our evening "poker" pastime. < hie instance of one of this' latter class 
of chaplains I might mention, just to give you the idea they had of the 
"fitness of things." 

He was holding a funeral service over one of the comrades who had 
died, and after going through the ceremony in a very bungling way, said, 
"Now, comrades, while the pall-bearers arc performing their duties we 
will all join in singing that old familiar hymn, 

'With rapture we rejoice, 

To see the cuss (curse) removed.' " 

Truly, the loyalty of the chaplain shines equal to the electric light of 



FIRST REUNION OF THE 



the present time. But, comrades, while the brilliancy of the loyalty of 
the chaplain is so transcendant, that pure sparkle in the eye of our army 
mule, with its liquid lire of loving patriotism, far surmounts the illumi- 
nating deeds of "Sherman's Bummers." ( )ur army mule's patriotism far 
exceeds that of the human race; an animal with "no ancestors to vindi- 
cate, or posterity to protect," an individuality unknown in "civilized war- 
fare," until the "late unpleasantness." 

The first we learn of this purely patriotic beast is in Divine history, 
when one of the great grand-dams is recorded as saving the life of one of 
the great leaders in warfare of that day, by holding a conversation in a 
walled lane, whereby she saved her master from the sword, by her pecu- 
liar vocal ability. Another instance, on record in that same sacred his- 
tory, wherein it is said that an eminent warrior took the musical portion 
of the anatomy of one of the great-great-great-grandsires of our army 
mule and with it he killed a thousand Philistines. From that time our 
loyal beast seems to have been lost to history, until the call for volunteer 
soldiers, and along with it came the cry for transportation, when forth 
steps his patriotic majesty — the mule — ready to bear the greatest burdens 
and support a tottering Nation in its trying ordeal for life. Well do you 
remember, my comrades, how we hailed with delight the long ears as 
they appeared over the hill, when we had been long without provisions, 
signifying to us that now we would have abundance of "hard tack" and 
"sow bosom" to eat. And do you remember, likewise, how, with what 
fondness we caressed this patriot, and how he, with his pathetic acknowl- 
edgement, winked his eye and wagged his ear. 

One great peculiarity about this patriotic beast was that he always 
commanded great respect in the rear. So all along, on hard marches, 
through "sunshine and rain," this noble beast kept step to the "music of 
the Union." Through the pestilential swamps of Mississippi and Louis- 
iana, on to Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge, Atlanta, and with "Sher- 
man to the Sea," still we find along by our side Balaam's faithful servant 
of yore. Up through the Carolinas, and on to the great Capital of our Na- 
tion, and, my comrades, on that grand review at Washington City (at the 
close of the war), as we marched proudly down Pennsylvania Avenue, no 
patriot more loudly proclaimed his loyalty than did our veteran army 
mule, and as you would see him standing on the street corner, or bearing 
his burden of camp kettles and provisions along the line of march, you 
would see him nodding his head from left to right, calling your attention 
to saddle-galls or breeching blisters, and articulating in that sad, but mu- 
sical voice, "Good-bye (eh!), My Lover, Good-bye (eh!)" 

The Glee Club then rendered "Tenting On the Old Camp-Ground," 
which evoked the most hearty applause of the audience. 

Hon. J. W. Akers responded to the sentiment, "The Infantry — the 

Strength of the Nation in War, the Hope of the Nation in Peace. The 

Militia Should be Well Drilled and the Children be Thoroughly Educated." 

Mr. Akers stated that he came before them with a grievance; he had 
been during the war a musician, and therefore exempt from fatigue duty, 
but the committee, in ignorance of this fact, had drafted him for service 
on this occasion. But in his desire for harmony he would comply. When 
we speak of the country's resources, the mind turns at once to the miner- 
al resources, the farms, the stock, the railroads, our unlimited domain: 
these, it is true, go to make a Nation strong and great, but there are re- 
sources that lie deeper and are more firmly rooted in this country. The 
country's resources, material and financial, may fail us, but if we are wise 



IOWA hornet's nest brigade reunion. 33 



enough to realize that our true strength is to be measured by the intelli- 
gence of the people, by the patriotism and character of the men and wom- 
en, the pride and the glory of the Nation will remain. First in import- 
ance in this country, the children should be educated, for in that educa- 
tion rests the foundation for the highest and most excellent condition of 
society. He paid eloquent tribute to the advantages to a country of edu- 
cation and the elevation of a common people. In reference to the sub- 
ject of the training of the militia, he urged that although we are a peace- 
ful people and have no need for a standing army, we should always be 
ready to meet force with force, and in order to make 'the great reserve 
army of laboring people effective it should in some measure be trained. 
The experience of the last war taught us some valuable lessons in this re- 
gard. If the need should ever be for another war, these yeomen of the 
country should come with some knowledge of the duties of war, know 
how to handle a musket with some degree of effectiveness. 

General J. B. Weaver spoke on the subject: "Our Mothers, Wives and 
Daughters. The Hand that Rocks the Cradle is the Hand that Rules the 
World." 

"This is a beautiful sentiment that you have asked me to respond to 
to-night," said the General, "and it is a true sentiment." He believed it 
to be true, literally true, that the hand that rocks the cradle, meaning 
thereby the mother that trains the child and moulds the infant mind, is 
the hand that rules the world. The alpha and omega of all government 
is the making and providing of good and happy homes for the people. 
The men of this Nation have received their inspiration, their virtues, 
their patriotism and their love for country from their mother. There 
was never a truly brave man but his mother would be willing to sacrifice 
him, if need be, for his country. ( )ur mothers and sisters and wives had 
not only the courage that we possessed, and the virtues and patriotism of 
the soldiers in the front, but they were compelled to endure uncomplain- 
ingly the suspense of remaining at home, not knowing what was coming 
from the awful battlefields. His reference to Mother Bickerdyke and her 
heroism on the battlefield, giving relief and comfort to the wounded, was 
cheered. By way of digression, in closing he stated that many of the 
boys were present whom he had not had the pleasure of meeting since 
the war until this time, and he thanked them for this opportunity. 

Colonel Palmer, in response to repeated calls, then sang with good 
voice a parody on the old army song, "Just Before the Battle, Mother." 

Colonel D. Ryan responded to the sentiment: "Disabled soldiers; they 
gave their strength to the Government when it was weak, the Govern- 
ment should now provide for all disabled soldiers without regard to the 
time when, or the place where the disability was incurred." 

Mr. President, My Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen: — It is with 
not a little diffidence that I undertake to respond to this toast, but such 
a sentiment, above all others of the evening yet proposed, deserves from 
him who presumes to answer it such fitting words as shall be commensu- 
rate with the importance of the subject. I shall not assume for myself 
such ability. I rather choose to say that an old soldier and a comrade 
ought not here to be dumb when called upon to respond to such a senti- 
ment. I have no recollections that I prize more than the memories that 
cluster about the days when I was a Union soldier, and a comrade with 



34 FIRST REUNION OF TIIF 



you who fought in the Hornet's Nest at Shiloh. If no eloquence 
may touch the lip that speaks to this sentiment, let these associations so 
forbid a refusal that the occasion and these memories may make any 
needed apology. 

As I stand in your presence here to-night, memory turns back the 
shadow upon the century's dial a full quarter, since April, 18(52, and it 
would be strange if a comrade could look into your faces and feel no 
swelling of the breast, no thrilling emotion born of the occasion and the 
memories it brings. They put a tongue in every mouth of him who stood 
upon Shiloh's held that memorable day. Your greetings here evince this. 
With its memories crowding in upon us, and by them carried back to 
that date — face to face with each other now, and in memory with the en- 
emy then— it is litting, Mr. President, that you should propose such a 
toast, and this is a fit place to answer it. "Disabled soldiers; they gave 
their strength to the Government when it was weak, the Government 
should now provide for all disabled soldiers, without regard to the time 
when, or the place where, the disability was incurred." 

To the soldier from Shiloh, or any other of the many fields of battle, 
no argument is necessary in support of this proposition, nor does it seem 
that the understanding of our people stands in need of reason to con- 
vince them that the sentiment proposed is the truth in every particle or 
particular, and yet the fact remains that a quarter of a century has passed 
and the sentiment is so barren of practical results that it has yielded but 
partial fruits. Yet citizen and soldier alike, recall April 6th, 18B2, and 
imagine yourselves in the "Hornet's Nest." The hour is nine in the 
morning, when fii^t you took position. On the right and left is heard 
the thundering artillery and the rattle of musketry; now nearer and near- 
er, the noise of battle, like the roll of the drum, approaches your position; 
as the thunder of the approaching storm precedes the rain, so those pre- 
monitions w^re but warnings of "the storm of lead that burst upon that 
brigade. Through the dense thickets came the charging enemy, flushed 
with its morning victory, charging to the very muzzles of our guns. 
Brief but bloody the fight. The foe, hurled back in disorder, left the 
ground covered "thick with other clay." Soon again came a fresh line, 
gallantly, like the first, to share the same fate, and still another, and yet 
another, till five separate and successive times, and all day long, the Hor- 
net's Nest Brigade received and repulsed the enemy and maintained their 
ground, till at last, surrendered prisoners of war, they were forced to 
yield the ground so stubbornly held. AVho shall say what the close of 
that day's battle might have been but for the Hornet's Nest Brigade: and 
if that field had been lost, who can tell, who conjecture, what might have 
followed? Put to yourselves the sentiment of this toast on that field at 
the close of that day's fight, and what would be your response ? 

Ladies and gentlemen, you may not, you cannot realize as we do that 
many of our comrades lay dead on that battle-ground when that bloody 
day was done. They have now no disabilities to cure, no wants that the 
Government can supply. It is not of them that I am now called to 
speak, but rather of the survivors, the living. From that field — and what 
was true of this is true of hundreds of others of that civil conflict — went 
many crippled and disabled, to hobble and trudge from that point on 
through life— "disabled soldiers." If we should undertake to measure 
out their dues, told by cold calulation, what munificent sum would com- 
pensate for dangers faced or service done ? It is not upon this basis of 
compensation that the (iovernment should provide. Compensation can 
never be made. Let it come a "free will offering" from a grateful people 
and Government to the defenders of the Nation, that shall in a measure 



IOWA hornet's nest brigade. 35 



supply the wants that, but for the disability, they could relieve for them- 
selves. iSTor should the relief end with those Who came wounded from 
the field of battle. The camp and the march were more deadly than the 
bullet. The seeds of disease were here sown; some were of rapid growth, 
some as surely but slowly grew and developed after term of service. To 
assume that these privations and exposures would not some future day 
disable, in a greater or lesser degree, to me is mysterious. What matter 
is it when the disability came ? Were they not all soldiers in the same 
cause'? Is not a disability a disability, no matter when or where in- 
curred ? And was not "■service a service still ?" Then why should he who 
served his country faithfully to the end, and is now disabled, be less an 
object of grateful regard than his fellows ? There is but one view to take 
of this subject. The Government cannot afford to, it will not seek to dis- 
regard this truth. Though tardy, sooner or later this fact will be recog- 
nized. 

I leave off, sir, Mr. President, adopting the language of your toast: 
"Disabled soldiers. They gave their strength to the Government when it 
was weak; the Government should now provide for all disabled soldiers, 
without regard to the time when, or the place where, the disability was 
incurred." 

The Knoxville Martial Band then played "Dixie," after which Major 
Samuel Mahon responded- to the toast: "The Confederate Army; Our 
Equal in Battle and Citizenship; Let Us Have Peace," as follows: 

Were we to belittle the splendid but mistaken bravery of our oppo- 
nents in the late tremendous struggle of the Xorthern civilization against 
Southern theories, it would lessen the valor and endurance of our own 
arms. Any attempt to detract from the gallantry and fortitude displayed 
by the Southern soldier in defense of what his people believed to be the 
right will inevitably dim the lustre of the great triumph achieved by the 
Union armies. The historian who records the victories and valor of the 
Xorth in vindication of the Union, must also bear testimony to the forti- 
tude and sacrifices of the men of the South. In pressing once more the 
hand of our late foe in friendly grasp across the barrier of blood and tears, 
of passion and suffering, which separated us for years, we can well feel 
that his qualities as a soldier enforce our respect. In many of the priva- 
tions of war the Southern soldier was called upon to endure more than 
ourselves; from scanty rations, insufficient clothing and inadequate hos- 
pital supplies, he underwent sufferings but seldom experienced by most 
of us, and he did this with a patience and cheerfulness that will challenge 
the admiration of friend and foe alike for all time. How hard they were 
to be borne are known best to us who had aii opportunity to witness 
them. 

After the war progressed eighteen months, the familiar formula of 
the army ration — the bacon and hard tack, the beans and potatoes, the 
coffee and sugar and salt — became a mere tradition to the Southern sol- 
dier, and he was called upon to support the fatigue of the march and the 
picket line, and the excitement of the skirmish and battle on a poor moi- 
ety of coarse meal or even parched corn. Such poverty would compel the 
sympathy of his most implacable enemy. In addition to this, his quar- 
termaster department was totally inadequate to furnish the commonest 
necessities of clothing and blankets, and as for tents, they had none. 
He was often dependent on the package of homely butternut clothing 
brought by some returning comrade, woven by the hand of loving wife 
or sister, to cover his nakedness. Many an arduous march was accom- 
plished barefooted, for even shoes, that first necessity of an infantry sol- 



36 FIRST REUNION OF THE 



clier, were not furnished him. Perhaps the saddest privation endured by 
him was when, wounded and suffering, to be deprived of the barest com- 
forts for his poor broken body, submitting to the surgeon's knife without 
the blessed drugs to alleviate suffering and give surcease to pain, common 
to our well-supplied held hospitals. This and much more he endured, 
and by these standards we judge manhood, and although consigning the 
principles for which he fought to the oblivion they deserve, we cannot 
withhold our admiration for his bravery. 

At the close of the war, when the boys in blue came marching home 
in the flush of victory, welcomed with open arms by joyful friends, an 
occasion of gladness was this (though sometimes mingled with tears for 
those who would never return), returning to homes of plenty and peace. 
How different! how different was the lot of the man in gray, who laid 
down his musket at Appomatox and Durham Station, who set his face in 
the direction of what was once his home, existing only in name often- 
times, for alas ! the track of war's desolation was wide and frequent in 
his country. And yet he set himself manfully to work as best he could 
to retrieve his ruined fortunes, resuming the duties of civil life, thus dis- 
appointing the European critic, who saw in the desperate men of the dis- 
banding armies of the South the material to perpetuate an indefinite 
guerilla warfare that would continue to waste the fair States of the South 
and that would further tax the resources of the North to suppress. He 
accepted the fate of war like a true man, and stopped short of the degra- 
dation of the bandit. Let us respect him for his gallantry as a foe, and 
honor him for his manhood in accepting the results of the war. But per- 
haps the saddest fate that overtook any of the soldiers of the Confedera- 
cy was that which befell the devoted regiments from Missouri that fol- 
lowed the fortunes of General Sterling Price. Driven from their own 
State in the earlier stages of the war, they saw their beloved State hope- 
lessly separated from the Confederacy, and thus they became fugitives 
from their own homes and all that was near and dear to them. From the 
time that these men were taken to the East Side of the Mississippi River 
they became desperate, and at Corinth and Iuka, in the campaigns about 
Vicksburg, at Chattanooga and the Atlanta campaign, they poured out 
their blood like water, until in the last heroic effort the meager remnant 
dashed their lives out with their leader, the brave Pat Cleborne, against 
the fortified lines of Franklin, Tennessee. 

"Our Equals in citizenship." That phrase epitomizes the grandest 
act of magnanimity ever performed by a Nation. Never before in his- 
tory has a Nation dared to assert the grand principle of man's brother- 
hood as did this Nation when it proclaimed amnesty through all the land, 
when it clothed the disbanded armies of the great Rebellion in the man- 
tle of citizenship. The pages of history, reciting the stories of similar 
great uprisings, are stained with the blood of countless victims to the axe 
and the bullet, the halter and the whip, to appease the offended majesty 
of the law. The student of history shudders as he reads of the butcheries 
that followed suppressions of insurrection in England; of the wars of the 
roses; the Whig Rebellion in the reign of James II., followed by the 
bloody assizes of the infamous Jefferies; the last attempt to reinstate 
the unworthy and profligate house of Stuart on the throne, terminated 
by the bloody battle of Culloden, followed by the butcheries of the fero- 
cious Duke of Cumberland. Scottish soil reeks with the blood of hordes 
of hapless wretches driven to execution like cattle to the shambles, and 
devoted Ireland for seven hundred years stands as a monument to the 
ferocity of post insurrectionary severities. In continental Europe, the 
grim bulletin that "order reigns in Warsaw" tells the terrible story that 
no insurgent was left alive to tell the story of failure, and even to-day, in 



IOWA hornet's nest brigade. 37 



the light of the 19th century, the roads from Northern Europe to Siberia 
are crowded with men and women going to a fate worse than death, for 
a political crime. In amazing contrast to all this, we remember the 
course of our own beloved Government in the closing scene of the great 
Rebellion, the Divine sentence, "With malice toward none, with charity 
for all," uttered by our martyred President, was the text of the policy of 
the Nation at a time when the dark clouds of war which had hung low 
over our country for four years, lurid with the light of burning cities and 
the flash of artillery, and echoing the shouts of contending armies, were 
breaking away, showing beyond, in the sunlight of the blue heaven, the 
emblem of liberty, the white angel of peace descending to bless a weary 
people. 

At such times, comrades, the human heart is apt to swell with the 
pride of conspicuous power, rather than be moved by the sweet sentiment 
of mercy. The host of lives and heaps of treasure spent in vindication of 
the great principles embodied by the Revolutionary fathers seemed to 
demand stern measures, nor were there wanting sage counsellors, men 
high in the confidence and regard of the people, who strongly advised re- 
prisal from among the scattering and dismayed hosts of the Confederacy. 
But high above the sanguinary clamor rose the grand purpose of Abra- 
ham Lincoln, to bind up the Nation's wounds, to care for him who shall 
have borne the battle, and for his widow, and for his orphans, to do all 
which may achieve and cherish a lasting peace among ourselves; and in 
his last inaugural, from which I have just quoted, he again utters the 
Divine philosophy of the great Master, saying "Let us judge not, that we 
be not judged;" rising high above the politics and State craft of Cabinets, 
he asserted the brotherhood of mankind, and fitted it to the greatest op- 
portunity in history. Of a citizenship conferred with such generosity, 
should not our Southern brethren indeed be proud, and accepting with it 
the glorious flag of our common country, may they align on the princi- 
ples of true patriotism and liberty, and with us keep step to the music of 
the Union, one and inseparable, now and forever. 

"Let us have peace." When the Confederate soldier turned his face 
homeward from the last battlefields of the war, that sweet sentence fol- 
lowed him all along his road. It meant to him security from molesta- 
tion, and the assurance that he could resume his civil life without the 
shadow of the provost marshal behind him. These immortal words were 
the corollary of that other great utterance, "With malice toward none," 
etc., and when Abraham Lincoln fell, that God who rules the destinies of 
Nations, raised U. S. Grant to complete the Divine message of mercy and 
forgiveness to an erring people. C omrades, let us each and all, North 
and South, raise high the standard of citizenship, bought with the blood 
of hero and martyr, and impress upon posterity the sacredness of this great 
trust, and hail the time when, knowing no North, nor no South, we shall 
take equal pride in our achievements, and rejoice in a common heritage. 

John A. McCall made a pleasant speech for "The Sons of Veterans. 
They Will be True to Right and the Old Flag." 

He said it would be immodest in a representative of the Sons of Vet- 
erans to take up much of the time of the veterans themselves. But he 
argued that in times of peace the people should not forget the deeds of 
battle, and the youths of the land should be taught to remember the his- 
tory of those who had been the strength of the Nation in its hour of peril. 
Thousands of brave soldiers sleep upon Southern battle-fields, and thanks 
be to God, they still rest under the folds of the fiag they loved so well. 
Let it be the object of future generations to see that that flag be never 



38 FIRST REUNION OF THE 



trailed in the dust. Long may the veterans live to enjoy the blessings of 
the land they fought for; but when they go to join those who have gone 
before in the long ago, let them rest in full knowledge that the sons of 
veterans will keep alive the memories. 

Colonel Palmer was called for and responded by singing "Old Shady." 

Major Calkins responded to the sentiment: "Those who have gone 
before; the best and largest portions of our number. Enshrined in our 
hearts, they shall live in our memory forever." 

Mr. President, Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen: — It has been a 
long time since I fronted an Iowa audience, bat I do not feel like a 
stranger in the presence of the most of you. When a boy 19 years of age, 
in 1861, 1 cast my lot with the Fourteenth Iowa, a stranger to every man 
in the regiment, and with you started to the line dividing loyalty and 
treason. Colonel Shaw, grim, blunt, and brave, led us, and now while the 
frosts of time have whitened his head, his heart is as warm and brave and 
loyal as it was when he left Iowa with the gallant 14th regiment. I con- 
gratulate you, men of the 14th, that he is with us to-night. Long may he 
live to wear the laurels which he so justly earned as our commander. I 
also congratulate the men of the other regiments of the "Hornet's Nest 
Brigade," that they have been permitted on this occasion to see General 
Tuttle, and the other distinguished comrades, whose lot was cast with 
them, and who shared in common a "soldier's bed and a soldier's fare." 
Pity the little soul who would now or at any time unjustly pluck one 
honor or jewel from the scroll of fame which they earned in holding the 
bloody ground that saved the battle of Shiloh! ! ! 

I am reminded at this moment that I am to speak of those and for 
those who are not here, those who went out with us but came not back, 
and those who came back but now inhabit the "eternal city of the dead. 
Let me speak especially of those who fell on the hillside, in the valley, in 
camp, in hospital, in the prison pen and on the battlefields. [Scene in 
camp.] It is the hour of twilight! I hear the solemn dirge and the muf- 
fled drum. A squad of comrades with arms reversed are marching slow 
but firm to the open grave; a moment more and the shots are heard, and 
I know that the last salute on earth has been given by brave men over 
the new-made grave of a dead comrade. I inquire of the soldier, "Who 
is gone ?" they reply with a sigh, "It is that brave-hearted boy we all loved 
so well, Private Smith." I see an army wagon going from yonder hos- 
pital; the driver is less demonstrative than usual; even the army mules 
seem to feel the melancholy of the occasion. The long whip hangs list- 
lessly over the driver's arm, its quck, sharp crack is for the nonce hushed 
and silent. I look in as the huge wagon rolls by — one, two, three rough 
boxes with their precious contents! being taken to the cemetery. In soft 
and respectful tones I ask, "Who are they V" The reply comes, "They are 
three private soldiers who died last night in hospital." The clumsy wag- 
on rolls on, and the bodies are deposited in their long home, far away 
from home and family and friends. I see the brutal rebel guard open the 
prison door, and four ragged and half-starved comrades pass through, 
carrying the inanimate form of a dead soldier beyond the feted exhala- 
tions of Andersonville prison. "Who is it?" I ask, and the reply comes 
back, "My bunk-mate, Private Jones." He was starved to death, but he 
died with blessings on his lips for home, friends and country. 

I see again the bloody battlefield of Shiloh. Night has folded her sa- 
ble wings over the scenes of carnage; that peculiar hush and silence 
which follows a battle pervades the field. Naught but the iron throat of 



IOWA iiohnet's nest brigade. 39 



a cannon at long intervals breaks the oppressive silence. Time hangs 
heavily in the dread darkness, but hark! What is that! A human voice. 
Clear, but faint, the words of that song we yet love so well come from the 
lips of a dying comrade who "lies where he fell:" 

"Farewell mother, you may never 

Press me to your'heart again, 
But, oh! you'll not forget me, mother, 

If I'm numbered with the slain." 

I fancy I can see the good old mother of this dying soldier at the 
same moment, sitting in her quiet Iowa home. The death messenger has 
extinguished distance, and by some mysterious touch has thrilled her 
soul with the dread portent of the death of her boy. With her eyes fixed 
in the grate, and her work falling listlessly about her, the refrain escapes 
from her lips : 

"We shall meet, but we shall miss him, 
There will be one vacant chair," 

and as these strains meet and mingle with those of her dead boy, from 
the far-off battlefield, the music becomes so sacred, as it is caught by the 
ear of the angel who keeps the door, that he swings it wide open and bids 
the patriotic soul a welcome to paradise." 

I am honored, thrice honored to-night, for being permitted to speak 
for these humble, patriotic, brave and chivalric private soldiers. The 
name and fame of Generals Grant, McPherson, Logan, Hancock, Mead 
and Thomas, with the many other illustrious Captains of our recent war, 
are secure. On the pages of history their names and deeds will live and 
grow brighter while there remains one student of history, or one patriot 
to worship at the shrine of liberty. But it were impossible that those 
Generals should have any place in history had it not been for those whose 
names will not outlive tliis generation, but whose patriotism ought to be 
written in words of living light in the hearts of their countrymen, and 
find such a place in song and story, as well as in history, as that their 
memories shall become imperishable. 

Here we are to-night, those of us who survive the shock of battle 
and the storms of life. But time is setting its signet on our brows. Be- 
fore long our names will be stricken from the roll of the living and 
transcribed to that of the dead. If it be permitted of those who inhabit 
the far-away unknown and unknowable realms which lie beyond the ut- 
most confines of human ken, to observe things terrestrial, I may safely 
say that when we meet on these occasions, those who are standing yon- 
der are joining in our greeting, and are only waiting to welcome us to the 
camp where the tents are never struck and the long roll never beats. 

Not long ago some comrades met in Chicago and were speaking of 
Comrade Frank Lombard, the sweet singer, who has preceded us to the 
other shore. Some one wished for Lombard, that he might again enliven 
the occasion with his songs, when another spoke up, "Xever mind," said 
he, "Frank is watching us now, if such a thing is permitted, and as he 
looks at us he is humming, in his old accustomed way, 

" 'I'm comin', comin', comin', 
Hail mighty day.' " 

If I could summon from their dusty beds the great army that has 
passed before us, and march them in review before you to-night, who is 
there in this audience that lived in 1860-5 who would not watch each 



IU FIRST REUNION OF THE 



phantom form as it passed, for the old familiar face that yon knew 
so well ? Who is there who would not feel again the old affection warm 
and true for him that was given for his country V 

I conjure you to so live that 

"When sounds the last assembly, 

When the guard's gone his last round, 
We may pitch our tents together 

On the happier camping-ground." 

The President announced that the Brigade Secretary wished to meet 
the Secretaries of the several Regiments at the Joe Hooker Post Hall at 
as early an hour to-morrow morning as possible. The band then render- 
ed several selections and the Camp Fire closed, with glowing embers kept 
bright and ready to be rekindled in 1890. 



Des Moines, Iowa, October 13th, 1887. 

The Iowa "Hornet's Xest" Brigade met pursuant to adjournment; 
the President in the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting were 
read and approved. Appointments were made by the Vice Presidents of 
the different Regiments to meet in the afternoon to hold regimental re- 
unions. 

Comrade H. G. Curtis moved the adoption of the following resolu- 
tions; be it 

Resolved, That we, speaking in behalf of the volunteer soldiers, de- 
mand, not as a favor, but as a right richly earned, a pension at the hands 
of the Government we saved, for every comrade honorably discharged 
and who is now disabled, irrespective of whether disability was incurred 
in the service or since, and that such pensions be adequate to sustain 
such soldiers and their wives from want, and to shield them from alms- 
houses and public charity; and be it further 

Resolved, That we demand that whatever pension be granted shall be 
in such terms as not to classify them as paupers. 

The motion carried unanimously. 

It was moved and seconded that the reports on the battle of Shiloh, 
as made by the senior officers of the several regiments, be published in 
pamphlet form; also the proceedings of the meetings in full, and that the 
senior officers of the several regiments, together with the Secretary, be a 
committee on publication. Motion carried. 

Moved and seconded that a committee of five be appointed to adopt 
a badge for the Brigade, the committee to report to the Executive Com- 
mittee for their adoption. 

The President appointed the following as committee: Comrades God- 
frey, Second Iowa Infantry; Major Mahon, Second Iowa; DeWitt Stearns, 



IOWA hornet's nest brigade. 41 



Eighth Iowa; K. P. Clarkson, Twelfth Iowa Infantry; Joseph McGarrah, 
Fourteenth Iowa Infantry. (Note — Major Mahon belongs to the Sev- 
enth Iowa, instead of Second Iowa, as appears on preceding page.) 

Major Mahon presented the following resolution: 

Remitted, That the thanks of the Iowa Hornet's Brigade be returned 
to the Mayor and citizens of Des Moines in the cordial reception accorded 
to us. To the reception committee in their untiring efforts to promote 
our comfort and enjoyment. To the bands and Glee Club which kindly 
furnished us music. To Joe Hooker Post G. A. R. for their hospitality, 
and to the railroads for transportation courtesies extended. 

The meeting then adjourned to meet at the Capitol, as announced in 
the programme. The procession for marching to the Capitol was then 
formed on Fourth Street. Phinney's band led the line and following it 
were the regiments in order. The procession passed up West Locust 
Street to Seventh from the Opera House, and down Walnut and over the 
bridge, and on reaching East Fifth Street turned north to Locust and 
marched around on the east side of the Capitol building and came into 
the rotunda by the east doors. There were three hundred men in line that 
made the entire trip. General Tuttle and staff led the march and then 
followed the Second Regiment, headed by Colonel Godfrey, the Seventh 
led by Colonel Parrott, the Eighth headed by Colonel Bell, the Twelfth 
with Colonel Edgington in the lead, and the Fourteenth with Colonel 
Shaw leading. The brass band led and two martial bands were in the 
procession. At the head of each regiment the original battle flags, or 
what is left of them, were carried aloft, tattered remnants of once bright 
emblems that led the hosts on to battle. In the procession also was a 
famous war horse which Colonel Shaw rode, the same horse that was in 
the battle of Shiloh, and the property of Mr. N. J. Miller. As the brigade 
marched along the streets, from many windows floated the gay emblems 
of our country, and from many throats rang out cheers for the old veterans. 
Besides those who marched in line, many went by carriages, and they al- 
most tilled the rotunda of the Capitol. 



AT THE CAPITOL. 
Many spectators and friends had gathered and the rooms and offices 
were all open. The building was beautifully decorated, more handsome- 
ly in fact than any building in the city. Over three hundred flags had 
been used in the decorations— from every chandelier, from every picture 
frame, every mantel piece or desk extended flags of all sizes. The corri- 
dors presented a perfect sea of National colors. Four large flags were 
suspended from the railing on the second floor into the rotunda. Over 
the speaker's stand were two or three large flags and a hornet's nest, con- 



42 FIRST REUNION OF THE 

tributed by Treasurer Worthington. The little postofflce over which Jos- 
eph McGarragh, of the 14th, presides, had been decorated by his asso- 
ciates and the number of his regiment and company shown. In the Sec- 
retary of State's office a center table had been covered with house plants, 
a small bush erected in which was a hornet's nest and several artificial 
hornets clustered about; while over a mantel was a banner inscribed 
"Iowa," and "Come Again, Boys." In the Auditor's office was a hornet's 
nest surrounded by flags and other decorations. In the Governor's recep- 
tion room fine portraits of Grant and Lincoln were shown, and an en- 
graving of Grant and Lee the day after the surrender at Appomattox. In 
fact, in every office and all over the building, from end to end, were hand- 
some decorations. It was a grand tribute from the thirty-five soldiers of 
the Capitol force to the visiting brigade. It was nearly noon when Gen- 
eral Tuttle called the comrades to order, and Governor Larrabee was in- 
troduced. He was greeted with three rousing cheers, and spoke as fol- 
lows: 

It gives me, and I am sure it would give the two million people of 
the State great pleasure to meet you, to greet you, and to welcome you to 
this, their beautiful Capitol. Your distinguished services on the battle- 
field from the commencement to the end of the war, and especially your 
heroic actions on the memorable days of April 6th and 7th, 1862, upon the 
field of Shiloh, won not only for you and your brigade, but also for Iowa, 
imperishable renown. Neither the brave six hundred immortalized in 
verse by the poet laureate of Great Britain, nor the famous body guard 
of the great Napoleon, performed more heroic deeds or gave better evi- 
dence of personal courage than did the members of the Hornet's Nest 
Brigade. It is impossible for us to tell what the results of the war would 
have been if your famous gallantry had not repulsed the repeated onsets 
of the rebels at Shiloh, and thus secured a decisive victory for the Union 
cause. The 60,000,000 people who now enjoy the blessings of our Gov- 
ernment, the best on the face of the earth, and the countless millions yet 
unborn can never repay the debt which is due to the soldiers for their 
services in the suppression of the rebellion and preservation of the Union. 
Our Nation has many reasons to be thankful to its soldiers. The Govern- 
ment should recognize this fact and show its appreciation by the enact- 
ment of more liberal pension laws. Our National Treasury is full to 
overflowing, and no better use could be made of its surplus. Liberal 
pensions would in some measure compensate our soldiers for the loss sus- 
tained in serving the country at $11 per month, and that even paid in a 
depreciative currency. I hope the old veterans will continue these reun- 
ions, which not only prove profitable to them, but also teach the rising 
generation lessons in patriotism, and keep before their minds the sacri- 
fices that have been made to preserve our Government. I wish you a 
happy day and many more of these reunions. 

Captain J. A. Lyons was then introduced and said: 

Diur Comrades:— I have not the honor of being a member of your 
brigade, but 1 wish to say that it gives me great pleasure to meet you. 
Little did you think at the time the great battle was being waged, that 
so many of the brave comrades would be permitted to meet on this beau- 
tiful day, and, too, within this beautiful building. Shiloh and Donelson 



IOWA hornet's nest brigade. 43 



is where the breath was knocked out of rebellion. Vicksburg and Get- 
tysburg broke the beast's back. It has been many years since this bloody 
contest took place. Our heads have become sprinkled with gray; some 
of us are becoming foot-sore and weary; soon we will be resting by the 
wayside; soon the knapsack of care will rest heavy on our shoulders. 
Hundreds of our comrades are falling into the rank, and treading the 
path that leads over the river to the new camp-ground. You as patriots 
have done well. You have proved your valor upon many a bloody battle 
field. Yes, after helping to crush out the greatest rebellion in the history 
of the world, you returned to your homes, and settled down in peace and 
lent your assistance to erect this, the grandest building in the northwest. 
Do not let us forget the part the mothers and wives took in the late war. 
When the news went flashing over the wire announcing the death of 
some neighbor's son and husband, the women gathered there and wept 
with them. Next moment they were penning letters to their own boys 
and husbands to stand firm in defense of home, flag and country. Dear 
comrades, there is one thing that consoles us more than all else. It is the 
fact that our boys will still keep the old camp fires burning brightly long 
after we have answered to the long, last roll-call. I hope and pray that 
you may hold many more such reunions as this ; I hope you may have the 
blessed privilege of clasping hands many times before you break camp 
for the last time. I now say in conclusion, may your path be a bright 
one, may your life be a prosperous one to the end. 

Captain W. T. Wilkinson then spoke as follows: 

Comrades of the Hornet's Nest Brigade: — It seems to us that it 
would be persecution for us to attempt to make you a speech of any 
length after you have been talked to by so many of your own comrades 
during the past two days and nights, but we can say, as have Governor 
Larrabee and Comrade Lyons, that we are glad to see you and bid you 
welcome on this occasion. Twenty-five years have come and gone since 
you stood as a wall of fire in defense of liberty and right at the memo- 
rable battle of Shiloh. And yet it has not occurred to the minds of a 
number of the peaceful citizens of this land, who now enjoy the blessings 
of a free and prosperous country, how much they are indebted to the' 
brave and gallant men who made up not only the Hornet's Nest Brigade, 
but the whole rank and file of the Union army, through whose valor and 
patriotism the union of States was re-established and a Nation re-born 
without a slave, and whose peer the sun of civilization has never shone 
upon. Human blood and heroic devotion to the principles of right of the 
combined armies of the world never did more for the cause of human 
liberty and civilization than did the noble men of your brigade who went 
down to death in the maelstrom of the Hornet's Nest at Shiloh. And 
you, my comrades, survivors of that terrible and bloody contest, can to- 
day, with a friendship cemented in the blood of that sacrifice, grasp each 
other by the hand and thank the God of battles that you were of that pa- 
triotic band who saved to the Nation a victory out of defeat. The loyal 
people of the whole North saw the salvation of the Nation in that vic- 
tory. It was the beginning of the end of a struggle which was intended 
to destroy liberty and Republican Government, and to forever rivet the 
manacles of human bondage upon the people of this country. It has 
been truly said that "no mind could conceive or pen portray the horrors 
of the battle of Shiloh." When the number of soldiers engaged is taken 
into account, it was the most sanguinary battle of the war, and had our 
force suffered defeat it would have been a disaster that would have placed 
the combined armies of the Nation almost hors de combat. My com- 
rades, let what may be said as to the final victory of the Union arms, the 



44 FIRST REUNION OF THE 



battle of Shiloh was the pivot upon which subsequent victories of the 
Union turned, and as such no soldier who participated in that conflict 
did more to achieve the glorious results than the brave boys of the 2d, 
7th, 8th, 12th and 14th Iowa regiments. The tattered battle flags which 
you carry aloft to-day were baptized anew in the storm of Shiloh, but 
their broad stripes and bright stars were kept above the din and smoke 
of that conflict, and when the news of your valiant deeds reached the 
homes of the loved ones in Iowa, every hamlet caught up the glorious 
shout of victory, and it echoed and re-echoed from house to house, of a 
country saved and the flag of freedom triumphant. Then it was, my 
comrades, that that creature most despised of God and man, the Copper- 
head, hid itself away from the sight of the Union-loving people of this 
State to never again with its cold, slimy treason, rejoice over the defeat 
in battle of the Iowa boys in blue. And thank God, my comrades, the 
people of Iowa who sent up their prayers to the throne of Omnipotence 
for your safety and the success of the Union armies, have lost none of 
their ardor and love for the men who fought for the cause of Union, jus- 
tice and right against the cause of treason, oppression and wrong. In no 
State of the Union are the boys in blue more honored than in grand old 
Iowa, and in no portion of the State is that love more strong and the wel- 
come more generous than in this, its Capital City. And now, comrades, 
as you are about to return to your peaceful homes from this, the first re- 
union of your brigade since the close of the war, what can we say of the 
brave comrades of your brigade who went into that terrible Hornet's 
Nest with you at Shiloh, but never came out ? They gave their lives that 
this grand and magnificent Republic might live for future generations to 
enjoy its blessings, and now in honor of that sacrifice we can say nothing- 
less of them than in the language of the poet: 

It may be treason to tell a tale 

With spirit of deeds like this, 
But if we dare not tell them still. 

The dead in their graves will hiss! 
With no malice for the living, 

We come with uncovered head, 
And swear while sun or stars shall shine, 

To honor the loyal dead. 

Colonel W. T. Shaw then spoke as follows, adjourning the meeting: 

In adjourning this meeting it is a proper and very gratifying duty to 
return thanks and our most sincere gratitude for the very liberal manner 
in which we have been entertained by the people of Des Moines. The 
attention we have received and the interest taken in our organization 
show to us that our services are not entirely forgotten by the people, and 
I assure you that these kindly feelings toward us are very pleasant to us 
old soldiers. While we did not come here to be feted and toasted, but to 
meet together as old comrades and to renew old acquaintances, I am sure 
I but express the sentiment of every comrade here when I say we most 
heartily and sincerely thank you for the royal reception you have given 
us. To you, comrades, members of our brigade organization, I believe 
this reunion has been a great good in renewing old acquaintances and 
friendships, and inspiring us with a feeling of brotherhood, which should 
be, above all things, cherished by the volunteer soldier. A feeling of 
friendship and chai-ity toward each other is naturally engendered as we 
talk over the hardships, toils and perils of our campaigns. The exercise 
of these virtues makes us better citizens, and in the exercise of our rights 
of citizenship we become more determined to maintain the results of that 



IOWA HORNET'S nest brigade. 45 



victory which, as soldiers, we won on the field of battle. While we may 
feel keenly the insults and indignities heaped upon us by those who are 
enjoying to the fullest extent the benefits resulting from our sufferings 
and sacrifices, still let us remember that the authors of these insults are 
the same men who composed the fire in the rear brigade during the war, 
and were then known as copperheads. Then, as now, no language was 
too vile and contemptible to be applied to the soldier. But this did not 
cause us to swerve from our duty then more than it will now. Although 
smarting under the neglect and ingratitude of a Government we have 
created, we will still do our whole duty as citizens, and wait for justice. 
It is not to be denied there are some good soldiers who have joined the 
ranks of these traitors; this, although much to be regretted, is but to be 
expected. The lust of office, the favor of those in power, has conquered 
them. Let us remember the Revolution had its Benedict Arnold, the 
war of 1812 its Hull, and our own war its Fitz-John Porter. Let us con- 
sign these men to the infamy they have brought upon themselves. 

It has been said the soldiers of the late war were most "liberally and 
amply paid," and the charity of the Government toward them has been 
most bountifully, liberally and amply paid! Who that saw, as many of 
us here did, the Second Iowa march up the long slope on the 15th day of 
February, 1861, towards the fortifications of Donelson, with steady ranks 
and determined step, while the rebel bullets, grape and canister went 
screaming through their ranks, decimating them at every volley till more 
than one-third of their number lay dead and wounded on the frozen earth, 
will say that ten dollars a month is ample and liberal pay for such ser- 
vices ? Who, having seen them triumphantly mount the enemy's battle- 
ments and drive them from behind them, will say such services can be 
compensated with money ? Who, knowing the results of that charge, the 
victory of Donelson — the first real victory of the war — can estimate the 
debt of gratitude the people of the United States owe to these men? 
AVho, having stood in the ranks of the Iowa Shiloh brigade, when our 
army had been routed from every other part of the field, saw the fierce 
rebel brigades, flushed with victory and eager for slaughter, dash upon 
its solid front and go reeling back!— who saw them again and again dash 
upon its right flank, upon its left, and upon its center, for eight long 
hours! — who, I say, standing in that adamantine wall between the rebel 
hordes and the destruction of our army, is willing to say he should be the 
object of the charity of this Government V No; we are the children of 
the Government and are entitled to support from its ample and overflow- 
ing coffers, in our old age and poverty. We set no price upon our ser- 
vices, we ask nothing of charity, we ask only justice. But, comrades, we 
have been paid, amply paid for our services, but in a coin that our de- 
tractors cannot understand, that no act of Congress, no vetoes of Presi- 
dents, or abuse of traitors can take from or add to. We are amply paid 
in the consciousness of having done our duty as citizens and soldiers, in 
the knowledge that the services of the grand volunteer army have pre- 
served our country from destruction by traitors. 

Now, comrades, we are about to part; many of us never to meet 
again. I hope this meeting has made us happier and better men. Let 
us be true to our comrades, true to our country, true to ourselves, and 
ready at all times to meet the calls of service or friendship toward one 
another. 

At the close of the adjourning speech, by Colonel Shaw, calls were 
made for impromptu addresses. Captains Botkin and Beall put the bri- 
gade in excellent humor by leading in "Marching Through Georgia," 



46 FIRST REUNION OF THE 

which was sung with vigor and enthusiasm. Ex-Governor Stone then 
mounted the platform and roused the boys by a stirring speech, and was 
followed by Major W. H. Calkins. He recalled many happy incidents of 
war times, and his anecdotes were well received. He said that they who 
stood down in the road on the memorable first day at Shiloh knew who 
fought that battle, and they also knew that a great injustice had been 
done them in reporting the proceedings of the day. He had come eight 
hundred miles to attend this reunion, and he would have come if for no 
other purpose than to see that justice is done to the men who stood like 
a wall of adamant against the assault of rebel bayonets. He urged that 
those who had touched arms on the battlefield should not now forget each 
other, but go side by side along life's pathway; they should not forget the 
men with empty sleeves nor the widows and orphans of comrades, but 
all stand together until the last muster roll and let them respond in their 
hearts for those who have preceded. During the services the speaking 
was interspersed with music by the Knoxville martial and Phinney's 
brass band, and shortly before one o'clock the brigade adjourned to meet 
at the call of the Executive Committee. 

K. L. Turner, Secretary. 




IOWA hornet's NEST BRIGADE 47 



JVlirjutes. 



Minutes of the Kegimental Meetings of the Second, Seventh, 
Eighth, Twelfth and Fourteenth Iowa Infantry, Held in 
Connection With the Iowa Hornet's Nest Brigade Reun- 
ion, at Des Moines, Iowa, October 12th and 13th, 1887. 



Second Iowa. 

Des Moines, Iowa, October 12th, 1887. 

The regiment assembled at the city hall at 2 p. m. and was called to 
order by the president, General Tuttle, who stated that the first business 
in order was the election of officers, and as General Tuttle was elected 
President of the organization for life, at our meeting for 1886, nomina- 
tions for Vice President would be first in order. General James B. Wea- 
ver was nominated and elected to that office by acclamation, and W. L. 
Davis, Des Moines, Iowa, was elected Secretary, and John H. Loobey, 
Des Moines, Iowa, was elected Treasurer, and the secretaries for each 
company who were elected at our Ottumwa meeting in 1886, were re-elected 
for 1888. The secretary was instructed to publish a request for the ad- 
dress of all members of the regiment (who ever belonged to it) in The 
National Tribune, Gf. A. R. Advocate, and other papers. It was moved 
and carried, that as a sense of this regiment, that we favor a Hornet's 
Nest Brigade Reunion every three years, and Washington, Iowa, was se- 
lected as the place for holding our regimental reunion for 1888, and Oc- 
tober 3rd and 4th as the time. The secretary reported bills for printing, 
postage, etc., which were allowed. 

In the absence of the secretary for the last year, and also all the rec- 
ords, there was only a limited amount of business to transact, so on mo- 
tion, the regiment adjourned to meet in the office of the State Treasurer 
immediately after the close of the exercises at the Capitol to-morrow. 

W. L. Davis, Secretary. 



48 



FIRST REUNION OF THE 



State Treasurer's Office, October 13th, 1888. 
The meeting called to order by the president, who stated that he had 
been informed since our meeting yesterday that the 25th Kegiment would 
hold a Keunion at Washington next Fall, and appreciating the trouble 
and expense of preparing for such, he suggested the reference of the time 
for holding to a committee. It was then moved and carried that we re- 
consider the vote fixing the time for our reunion, and that the date be 
left to a committee of three, consisting of Comrades Schofield, Aughey 
and Stewart, of Washington, who will confer with local committees in re- 
gard to dates, and fix dates according to the wishes of the citizens of 
Washington. Meeting adjourned. 

W. L. Davis, Secretary. 



Name and address of Second Iowa Comrades present at the Reunion: 

Company A. 

Keokuk, Iowa 
Nevada, " 
Pratt, Kansas 

Seneca, Illinois 

Company B. 



Collins, J. A. M., 
Fitzpatrick, J. A., 
Phillips, G. O, - 
Underhill, D. II., 



Dow, Albert, 
Johnson, W. M., 
Park, James C, - 
Thompson, M. L., 

Allbright, C. F., - 
Carter, C. J., 
Dey, J. B., 
Hamilton, S. A., 
Rogers, Charley D. 
Watson, John II., 

Becker, Phil. J., - 
Brenton, W. H., 
Drady, M., 
Davis, W. L., 
Godfrey, G. L., - 
Gillett, Phil. D., 
Jones, Tarpley T., 
Looby, John H., 



Company C. 



Company D. 



Rock Island, Illinois 

West Liberty, Iowa 

Earlham, Iowa 

Pringhar, Iowa 

Creston, " 

Brighton, " 

Brighton, " 

Des Moines, " 

Webster, " 

Dallas Center, " 

Dallas Center, " 

Des Moines, " 



IOWA IIOItNET'S NEST BRIGADE. 



49 



Marsh, E. L., 
McCollum, I., 
Xagle, T. M., 
Painter, J. C, 
Price, John, 
Kiddle, William, 
Smith, Philander, 
Yonnt, E. J., 
Yount, David, 
Wohlgemuth, G. M., 
Zelle, Godfrey, 

McKee, John, 
Mitzler, F. F., 
Moore, W. S., 
Sims, W. S., 
Tracy, S. 11., 

Burbower, Eli, - 
Dahlberg, II. X., 
Duffield, H. D., - 
Hall, J. H., - 
Tattle, J. M., 
Twombley, V. P., 
Towne, Edwin, - 

Conner, W. E., - 
Duckworth, E. A., 
Kinnick, W. L., - 
Lepper, J. M., 
Moore, S. A., 
Shadle, James, 
Stephens, J. H., - 
Weaver, J. B., 

Aughey, D. L., 
Barnes, A. J. P., 
Cahale, F. M., 
Cahale, W. H., 
Corbin, S. L., 



Company E. 



Company F. 



Company G. 



Company H. 



Des Moines, Iowa 

Runnells, " 
Des Moines, " 



Spaulding, " 

Commerce, " 

Des Moines, " 

Perley, Iowa 
Des Moines, " 

East " 

Richland, " 

Des Moines, Iowa 

Keosauqua, " 

Pittsburg, " 

Cedar Rapids, " 

Des Moines, " 

U U 

Kilbourn, " 
Bloomtield, Iowa 



Manchester, " 

Bloomfield, li 

Des Moines. " 

Washington, Iowa 

Knoxville, " 

Guthrie, " 
« 

Sigourney, " 



50 



FIRST REUNION OF THE 



Graham, Alex, 
Jones, C. F., 
Montgomery, L. O., 
Miller, J. M., 
Wilson, J. W. 

Christainson, E. H. F., 

Blake, George W., 



Company I. 
Company K. 



Des Moines, Iowa 

u If 

Eagle Grove, " 
Oxford, " 

De Witt, Iowa 

Chariton, Iowa 



Name and address of Second Iowa Comrades not present at the Re- 



union : 

Ayers, Henry O., 

Anderson, 8. W., 

Atkin, A. E., 

Armine, Mose, 

Ault, Fred, 

Anlt, James, 

Alendorf, John, - 

Beatty, Thomas, 

Brown, Harvey J., 

Bamett, John M., 

Boyd, R. Mi, 

Barnes, A. A., 

Bape, A., 

Bird, W. K., 

Boone, L. O., 

Buchanan, W., 

Bromley, Own, - 

Bitting, W. H., 

Hlake, G. W., 

Bell, H., 

Buckner, Jesse, - 

Bell, John T.. 

Boehm, Sol, No. 8UU Morgan St., 

Bell, G. G, 

Baker, C; I)., 

Burge, Thomas, 

Burrell, Ed., 

Bettsworth, George W., 

Bateman, J. II., - 

Crystol, J. A., General P. O. Dept., 

Crystol, B. F., - 

Chit. .JaniL'H, 



Ames, Iowa 
Keokuk, " 
Kearney, Neb 
Muscatine, " 

- Marshalltown, " 

Kansas City, Mo 
Des Moines, Iowa 

Patterson, " 
Des Moines, " 

- Winchester, " 
Las Vegas, N. M 
Davenport, Iowa 
Des Moines, " 

Springfield, Mo 
Paradox, Cal 

- Des Moines, Iowa 

Chicago, 111 

Chariton, Iowa 

Washington, " 

Highland Center, " 

Omaha, Neb 

St. Louis, Mo 

York, Neb 

Salem, Neb 

Blue Hill, Neb 

Shelby, Neb 

( 'edar Rapids, Iowa 

- Keosauqua, " 
Washington, 1 ). ( ' 

Santa Rosa, Cal 
Faniiingtoti, Iowa 



IOWA HOHNET'S NEST BRIGADE. 



51 



Christy, W. D., - 

Case, Philo, - 

Callendar, AVm., - 

Carson, R. B., 

Carlow, J. II., 

Colliver, P., 

Chadd, Jerrie, 

Conway, J. F., 

Cowels, H. P., 

Clossen, S. C, 

Corbin, G. M., 
Coen, John, - 

Crawford, Austin, 

Curren, Thomas, 

Chadd, Wesley, - 
Cooper, J. R., 
Curtis, John, 
Connely, James, 
Calvert, S. A., 
Cochoran, E., 
Coppick, Thomas, 
Cook, David, 
Curl, J. W., 
Cramer, H., 
Clincher, H., 
Clemis, J. M., 
Craff, George, 
Cady, W. L., 
Clark, Dunnel, 
Collins, G. W., 
Chipman, N. P., - 
Dreher, Peter, 
Dufheld, J. M., - 
Demuth, J. A., 
Davidson, J. M., 
Drake, Philip, 
Dow, Albert, 
Davis, Joseph, 
Davis, James, 
Doolittle, G, 
Dayton, G. W., 
Duncan, W. H., 
Dahlberg, R. N., 
Duckworth, D. A., 
Duckworth, W. A., 
Donovan, J. M., 



- Des Moines, Iowa 



Moulton, " 
Florris, " 
West Grove, Iowa 
Bevington, " 
Lyons, " 
Washington, " 
Keokuk, " 
Washington, " 
Weller, " 
Ainsworth, " 
Washington, " 
St. Charles, " 
Washington, " 
Keokuk, " 
Belfast, " 
Adel, " 
Keswick, " 
Washington, " 
Oskaloosa, Kan 
Bloomfleld, Iowa 
Kansas City, Mo 
Letcher, Dakota 
Davenport, Iowa 
Lockridge, " 
Burlington, " 
Osceola, " 
Clinton, "■ 
Red Cliffs, Cal 
Burlington, Iowa 
Bloomfield, " 

Parkville, Mo 
( 'linton, Iowa 
Newton, " 
Leclare, " 

Davenport, " 

Clinton, " 

Fairfield, " 

Keosauqua, " 

Florris, " 

Keosauqua, " 

Parkville, Mo 



52 



FIRST REUNION OF THE 



Duffield, M., 

Duly, F. M., 

Day, John L., 

Dimond, J. E., 

Drancker, A. M., 

Dewitt, J. P., 

Eckman, Alex, 

Eckman, Daniel, 

Evans, C. H., 

Ensign, E. T., 

Flemming, J. A., ltflfi Burt St., 

Faust, Thomas, 

Foregrave, Robert, 

Fenn, E. D., - 

Frisbey, S. A., 

Foregrave, J. H., 

Fields, J. H., Jr., 

Finerty, John, 

Funston, R. B., - 

Goodwin, Jesse, 

Gannon, R. P., 

Gannon, G. W., 

Green, H. H., 

Granger, Wm., 

Geddes, F. S., 

Grice, D. O., 

Griffith, Wesley, 

Goodfellow, H. C, 

Gordnier, John, - 

Gaugher, Wm., 

Gross, John B., - 

Hoxie, W. H., 

Hardin, H., 

Hoffman, T. L., 

Highley, Robert, 

Holden, W. G, 

Haskill, W. G, - 

Hose, George H., 

Harper, J. W., 

Holland, A., 

Hughes, W. T., - 

Holt, Wm., - 

Hoffman, T., 

Hall, Robert, 

Hall, J. S., 

Hall, W. E.. 



Jersyville, 111 
Decorah, Iowa 
Keokuk, " 

York, Neb 

Doniphan, " 

Lyons, Iowa 

Washington, " 

Stockholm, Neb 

Colorado Springs, Col 

Omaha, Neb 

Waterloo, Iowa 

- Des Moines, " 

Nevada, " 

- Cumberland, Ohio 
Des Moines, Iowa 

Chicago, 111 
Keokuk, Iowa 
Brighton, Iowa 
Des Moines, Iowa 
Harper, Kan 
Drakeville, Iowa 
Plainfield, " 
Lyons, " 
Seymore, " 
Doniphan, Neb 
Brighton, Iowa 
Chicago, 111 

Pa 

Lyons, Iowa 

- Caravilla, Oregon 

Corning, Iowa 
Maxburg, " 
Fairfield, Iowa 
Caledonia, Ohio 
Fort Kearney, Neb 
Clarksville, Ark 
Manhattan, Kan 
Crawfordsville, Iowa 
Vernon, " 
Eldon, " 

Keokuk, " 

it 11 

Streator, 111 

- Sugar Creek, Iowa 

Denver, Col 



IOWA hornet's nest brigade. 



53 



Henn, Thomas P., 

Haggard, Win., 

Hoken, W. C, - 

Hooper, W. C, 

Heaton, Hiram, - 

Heaton, George, 

Herron, John, 

Harbaugh, Isaac, 

Harrison, W. F., 

Hayden, Joseph, 

Inden, Otto, 

Israel, W. T., 

Jones, A. G, - 

Johnson, J. W., 

Johnson, Albert, 

Kinsey, W. A., 

Kirkpatrick, S., 

Kessler, F., - 

Kinnick, E. B., - 

Knntson, Hans, 

Kirkpatrick, W., 

Kerr, James, 

Kenyon, J. E., - 

Krouch, Levi, 

Lynde, John, 

Lamoreaux, C. H., Republican Office, 

Locker, W. H., - 

Longfellow, A., 

Lyons, George, 

Lane, Carroll, 

Leslie, Silas, 

Lackore, C. H., 

Luick, Fred, 

Lytle, Robert, 

Linden, John, 

Lnce, C, 

Lndlow, W. ()., 83 Main St., 

Littler, R. M., 83 Main St., 

Leppo, Daniel, 

Miller, William, 

McMurray, G. A., 

Mastic, E. E., 

McManney, George X., 

Murkin, James, 

Mikesell, B. M., - 

McKinney, X., 



Vernon, Iowa 
Wahoo, Xeb 



Glendale, Iowa 
Fairfield, " 
Lockridge, " 
Des Moines, " 

Fremont, Xeb 
Jenningsville, Pa 
Keokuk, Iowa 
Brighton, " 
Waukee, " 
Bloomfield, " 
Eldon, " 
Des Moines, " 
Ottnmwa, " 
Davenport, " 
Bloomfield, " 
Xorwalk, " 
Highland Center, " 
Sandnska, " 

- Clay Center, " 

Delta, " 
Clinton, X. J 
St. Lonis, Mo 
Bloomfield, Iowa 
Savannah, " 

- Des Moines, " 

Bloomfield, " 
Clinton, " 
Forest City, " 
Belmond, " 
York, Xeb 
Exeter, " 
West Liberty, " 
Chicago, 111 
Chicago, 111 

- Libertyville, Iowa 
Baker City, Oregon 

Bloomfield, Iowa 

Clarendon, Ohio 

Bloomfield, Iowa 

Washington, " 

Fairfield, " 

Keoknk, " 



54 



FIRST REUNION OF THE 



McCoal, John, 
Miller, J. E., 
McCullough, J., - 
Manning, Dr. E. M., - 
Miller, G. A., 
Miller, Henry A., 
Morrison, Jack, - 
McVey, James, 
Medlar, W. J., - 
Miller, H. F., 
McNiel, H. C, - 
Meek, L. S., 
McCoid, M. A., - 
McEldary, John R., - 
Messick, James W., 
Montgomery, M., 
McClelland, J. S., 
McClelland, B. A., 
McDonald, Hugh O., 
Noble, W. T., 
Numly, L. B., 
Nims, A., H., 
Nicholas, J. C, 
Nicholas, W. A., 
Neiswunger, Levi, 
Nicholas, Henry, 
Olds, Isaac, 
Beager, James, 
Bichardson, Joseph L., 
Beeder, C. H., 
Bolls, John, 
Biddle, fm, 
Bhinehart, M., 
Bogers, Nelson, 
Bogers, J. B., 
Biddley, B. E., 
Bead, Wm, 
Boss, James, 
Budd, Alfred, 
Both, James, 
Bied, J. M., 
Button, John, 
Boe, J. T., 
Russell, H. C, 
Seargeant, D., 
-Stephens, J. H. 



Majors, Neb 

Kearney, Neb 

Wayland, Neb 

Burlington Junction, Mo 

- Bloomfield, Iowa 
Little Bock, Ark 

Sigourney, Iowa 
Washington, " 

- Fort Dodge, " 

Brandon, " 

Sioux City, " 

Des Moines, " 

Fairfield, " 



Bark " 

Ottumwa, " 

Keosauqua, " 

Council Bluffs, " 

West Grove, " 

Hartford, " 

Des Moines, " 

West Liberty, " 

U (I 

- . Orrville, Ohio 

Washington, Iowa 

Fairfield, " 

Pierre, Dakota 

Belknap, Iowa 

Lynnville, " 

U it 

Des Moines, " 
Sigourney, " 
Carroll, " 
Des Moines " 
Estherville, " 
Chariton, " 
Hastings, Neb 
Bloomfield, Iowa 
Ashton, Mo 
Keokuk, Iowa 
Omaha, Neb 
Hebron, " 
Schuyler, " 
Corydon, Iowa 
Bloomfield, " 



IOAVA HORNET'S NEST BRIGADE. 



Scott, A., 

Scott, J. W., 

Sylvester, John W., 

Secor, David, 

Swanson, John, - 

Stewart, C. N., 

Stewart, John H., 

Swisher, P., - 

Spencer, E., - 

Simmons, Henry, 

Shepherd, J. M., - 

Stark, Joseph, 

Sherrod, M. C, 

Saylor, George S., - 

Stayner, Cyrus, 

Stewart, Ed C, - 

Schofleld, Hiram, 

Turner, Dr. W. H., 

Turton, J. H., - 

Taylor, Hugh, 

Toll, Spencer L., 

Thompson, George, 

Thalheimer, L., - 

Tootwiler, Joe, 

Teppo, Daniel, 

Teller, R, P., 

Tisdale, Daniel, - 

Thorp, X. D., 

Thompson, R. E., 

Vaughn, E. G., - - - 

Vermelia, R. B., - 

Vamey, W. E., 

Van Scyoc, S., - 

Vandyke, W. H. H., - 

Van Nostrand, J. J., 35 1H Prairie Avenue, 

Wishart, E. K, 

Wallace, E., 

Worth, L., - 

White, J. M., 

Walker, M. B., 

Wycoff, S. D., 

Wilson, J. A., 

Wilson, J. L., - 

Wilson, E. B., 

Whipple, E. E., ■ 

Warnuck, Newton L., 



Leclare, " 

Atlantic, " 

Competine, " 

Forest City, " 

Chariton, " 

Washington, " 

it u 

Keokuk, " 

Pittsburg, " 

Montrose, " 

- Bentonsport, " 

Keokuk, " 

- Mount Zion, " 

Hamilton, 111 

Edgar, Neb 

Washington, Iowa 

(C « 

Keokuk, " 

Des Moines, " 

Correctionville, " 

Des Moines " 

u it 

Seattle, W. T 
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 

- Libertyville, " 

Keokuk, " 
" " 

Wahoo, Neb 
Garrison, Iowa 
Keokuk, " 
Unionville, " 
Wellman, " 
Fremont, Neb 
Sigourney, Iowa 
Chicago, 111 
Des Moines, Iowa 

- Bloomtield, " 
Davenport, " 

- West Grove, " 

Chicago, 111 

Highland Center, Iowa 

Mount Vernon, " 

Keokuk, " 

Charlestown, " 

Knoxville, " 

Mwnlo, " 



56 FIRST REUNION OF THE 



Walmer, Daniel, - Fairfield, " 

Wilkin, Abe, .... Keosauqua, " 

Woodward, J. M., - - Deepwater, Mo 

Williams, John Z., - - - - Aurora, Neb 

Yount, E. J., - - - - Des Moines, " 



Seventh Iowa. 
Des Moines, Iowa, October 12th, 1887. 

Meeting of Regimental Association called to order by the President, 
Colonel J. C. Parrott. 

The minutes and all other records of former reunion of the regiment 
having been lost, the reading of same had to be dispensed with. After a 
few short and spirited speeches from different members of the regiment, 
it was resolved that we proceed to elect officers of the Association, said 
election resulting in the choice of the following-named persons to fill the 
several positions: 

Colonel J. C. Parrott, of Keokuk, Iowa, President. 

Major Samuel Mahon, of Ottumwa, Iowa, First Vice President. 

Major J. W. McMullen, of Oskaloosa, la., Second Vice President. 

Hon. John W. Akers, of Des Moines, Iowa, Treasurer. 

John R. Baer, of Oskaloosa, Iowa, Secretary. 

It was moved, seconded and carried that the President, Second Vice 
President and Secretary constitute a committee to draft rules for the 
guidance of the 7th Iowa Infantry in their future reunions. 

On motion, adjourned to meet at 9 a. m., October 13th, 1887. 



October 13th, 1887. 

Meeting met pursuant to adjournment, and called to order by Presi- 
dent Parrott. Committee on organization made the following report: 

We, your committee, would respectfully recommend that as the pa- 
pers and all other records of our former reunion have been lost, that the 
Secretary be authorized and instructed to procure a copy of the Oskaloosa 
Herald having in it the proceedings of the reunion held in Oskaloosa, 
Iowa, in the Fall of 1883, and copy the same therefrom into some suitable 
book procured by him for said purpose, and that the same be re-adopted 
as the rules for our organization. On motion, said report was unani- 
mously adopted. 

On motion of Vice President McMullen, the. officers of the associa- 
tion were constituted the Executive Committee and were empowered to 
select the place and fix the time for our next reunion. It was resolved 
that we have a reunion within the next two years. 

There being no further business, the association adjourned sine die. 

John'K. Baer, Secretary. 



IOWA HORNET S NEST BRIGADE. 



57 



Name and address of Seventh Iowa Comrades present at the Reunion: 



Company A. 



Beemer, Levi S., - 
Dibble, C. A., 
John, E. W., 
Martin, A. C, 
Morgan, Thomas, 

Birdsall, W. W., - 
Bryant, Z. Z., 
Hawks, Bert, 
Smith, Capt. H. I., 
Talmage, Walter E., 
Thayer, E. M., 
Trotter, J. A., 
Van Loan, J. A., 
Williams, J. E., - 

Baer, John R., 
Crookham, J. G., 
Darnell, Wm., 
Dunbar, T. M., 
Gaston, J. 1ST., 
Hoit, Nicholas, 
Hoit, Amasa, 
Hoit, John W., 
Hodges, Simpson, 
Jarvis, Bruce, 
James, Barney, - 
Kneudson, O. T. 
Martin, G. W., - 
Moore, Wm., 
McDonough, J. P., 
Proctor, J. M., 
Snooks, Isaiah, - 
Seary, T. J., - 
Thompson, Thomas I., 

Erancis, A. B., - 
McYey, W. T., 



Company B. 



Company C. 



Company D. 



- North Fork, Neb 

Eldon, Iowa 

- West Liberty, " 

Muscatine, " 

- Des Moines, " 

New Hampton, Iowa 
Sumner, " 
Fontanelle, " 
Mason City, " 

- West Union, " 

David City, Neb 
Shell Rock, Iowa 
Alcester, Dakota 
Council Bluffs, " 

Oskaloosa, Iowa 

« (i 

Alta, " 

Perry, " 

Ames, " 

Bussey, " 

Marshalltown, " 

Albia, " 

Tracy, " 

Rose Hill, " 

- LTnion Mills, " 
New Sharon, " 

- Des Moines, " 

Tracy, " 

Laconia, " 

Milo, " 

New Virginia, " 

New Sharon, " 

Jewell Junction, " 

Oskaloosa, Iowa 
Creston, " 



58 



FIRST REUNION OF THE 



Montgomery, J. A., 

Chenoweth, Joe, 
Miles, P. M., 

Cowan, G. G., 
Ewing, Thomas, 
( rodfrey, Lewis, - 
Kent, J. E., - 
Samson, Simon, - 
Stephens, Ezra 

Akers, John W., 
Burns, Robert, 
Fields, A. T., 
Ilench, C. L., 
Hesse, Frank, 
Lanning, II. E., 
Sweet, Eli, 

Clark, J. K., 
Ellsworth, S. S., 
Calhoun, S. S., 
Glider, George, 
Goodwin, S., 
Logan, S. M., 
Martin, A. G, 
McConaughey, John T., 
Stone, M. W., 
AVarren, S. H., 

Mummert, J., 
Myrick, Thomas, 
Nosier, H. C, 
Oliver, F. N., 
Swenson, Nick, - 

Bales, J. L., 
Brown, M. S., 



Company E. 



Company F. 



Company G. 



Company H. 



Company I. 



Company K. 



Princeton, Mo 

Keokuk, Iowa 
Lake City, " 

Allerton, Iowa 

Eddyville, " 

Creston, " 

Perry, " 

Van Wert, " 

Pleasantville, " 

- Des Moines, Iowa 

Newton, " 

Colfax, " 

Stewart, " 

- Des Moines, " 

Marengo, " 
Millersburg, " 

Uunreith, Iowa 

Cherokee, 

Doublin, 

Wellman, 

Drake City, 

Crawfordsville, 

Muscatine, 

Washington, 

Lincoln, Neb 
Gravity, Iowa 

- Prairie City, " 
Des Moines, " 

Ottumwa, " 

Redding, " 

Knoxville, " 

Richland, Iowa 
North,,English, " 



IOWA hornet's nest brigade. 



59 



Duke, II. R., 
Ellis, Walter, 
Frush, J. H., 
Gregory, Joel 
Goodwin, Samuel, 
Horton, Louis, 
Jaques, John II., 
Morris, "William, 
Myers, Levi G., - 
Statts, G. W., 
Statts, F. B., 
Spence, Capt. T., 
Sperry, W. II., - 



Parrott, Col. J. G, 
McMullen, Major J. W. 
Mahon, Major Samuel, 



FIELD AND STAFF. 



Woodburn, Iowa 
Pleasant Plain " 
Sutherland, " 
Richland, " 
Lake City, " 
Richland, " 
Allerton, " 
Springfield, " 
Abingdon, " 
Baker, " 
Jamesport, Mo 
Knoxville, Iowa 
Keokuk, " 



Keokuk, Iowa 
Oskaloosa, " 
Gttumwa, " 



Eighth Iowa. 

Des Moines, Iowa, October 12th, 1887. 
The Eighth Iowa Infantry Veteran Volunteer Association met in the 
Joe Hooker Post Hall, G. A. R., at two o'clock p. m., President Colonel 
1). Ryan in the chair. The Secretary made the following report: 

Comrades Eighth Iowa Infantry Veteran Volunteer Association, 1 
herewith submit my annual report: 

To balance unpaid from '86 $9.04 

To amount expended to this date |54.54 

Total amount expended ••••.■ $63.58 

Number of comrades by Company, as shown by the Roster: 

Company A 41 

Company B 29 

Company C 60 

Company D 27 

Company E 46 

( 'ompany F 64 

Company G 31 

Company H 42 

Company 1 35 

Company K 65 

Regimental staff 8 

Making a total of 44S 



60 FIRST REUNION OF THE 

This makes an increase of thirteen since last year. There has been 
but two deaths in the Association during the past year, our Commander, 
General J. L. Geddes, and Charles Fox, of Company I. No doubt others 
of the comrades have passed away, but I have received no notice to that 
effect. I sometimes feel that the time has come when there is more nec- 
essity for us to close up the ranks and stand firm, shoulder to shoulder, 
than ever before. With those who fought us coming into power, and the 
lapse of time, it would seem as though the principles we fought to main- 
tain from 1861 to 1865 were fast being swept away. We have not forgot- 
ten, nor will we ever forget what the four years' struggle we were en- 
gaged in cost, and the Nation will yet realize the true worth of the boys 
that wore the blue. Let us, as members of the old Eighth Iowa Infantry, 
not lose faith and charity for each other, nor for the principles we fought 
to maintain; let us carry home to each heart the words spoken by our 
beloved and lamented commander, General Geddes, who, as his hair whit- 
ened for the grave, his love and esteem for his old comrades in arms grew 
stronger: "We should guard and defend the honor and the name of that 
country whose flag we love, teaching our children that loyalty is one of 
the highest virtues, and disloyalty one of the greatest crimes." 
E. L. Turner, 

Secretary Eighth Iowa V. V. Association. 

On motion the report was adopted. 
The Treasurer reported as follows: 

Des Moines, Iowa, October 12th, 1887. 

To the members of the Eighth Iowa Infantry Veteran Volunteer As- 
sociation. I beg leave to submit the following report for the year ending 
October 12th, 1887. 

Received from the Secretary during the year $66.74 

Paid on Secretary's orders $63.58 

('ash on hands 3.16 — 66.74 

Wm. Kirkpatrick, 

Treasurer Eighth Iowa V. V. Association. 

The report was adopted: 

The Executive Committee having been instructed at our last meeting 
to report if any changes were needed in the Constitution, or By-Laws ad- 
ded, reported that in their judgment no changes or additions were neces- 
sary at present. 

The report was accepted. 

Comrade H. G. Curtis then delivered the following obituary on the 
death of Colonel J. L. Geddes: 



IOWA hornet's nest brigade. ill 



J. L. Oeddcs. I 



Mr. President and Comrades:— To-day we stand, the living among 
the dead. With faith and hope we part the veil, and leaning forward, 
whisper to the dead and see them in their bright armors on their new 
camping-ground, while with memory we take a backward tread and com- 
mune with them in silent joy, recounting the days and deeds that are be- 
hind, for our comrades who have gone before, though wept and beloved, 
are not lost. We only lose our tears. Comrades, we are one; only they 
are there, we as yet are here. Our dead are not as they who pay the com- 
mon debt of Nature and obey the common edict of "earth to earth and 
dust to dust," but are they whose honor it was to follow the lead of 
Him who died to make men live; they died to make men free. 

And how can men die better 

Than facing fearful odds, 
For the ashes of his fathers, 

For the triumphs of his Gods. 

And for the tender mother 

Who dandled him to rest, 
And for the wife who nurses, 

His babe upon her breast ? 

Our dead are of those who fell in battle's carnage, and went above, 
amid the smoke of shot and shell, who answered not in camp at the next 
morning's call, whose cot was empty when gun and sword were hung 
away to rest; and also those who succumbed to the enemy, death, that 
looked in camp, march and held, and lie buried far from home and loved 
ones, in graves known and unknown. And also those, more fortunate 
few, who survived the shock and hardships of war, in tournament and 
bivouac to greet dear ones at home, and to receive the joyful acclaims of 
a grateful people for a country saved, but then, to hear the imperative 



62 FIEST REUNION OF THE 



bugle-call from the sky, and start upon the march in the land of the un 
seen. They are not mustered out. They are only transferred. They are 
all our comrades still, but called into a higher service, under the more 
immediate presence of our Great Commander. Our beloved Colonel, 
whose presence we miss to-day and whose illness saddened our joy at our 
last reunion, is of those whose work was not done while the pomp and 
circumstance of war provided who escaped the shot of battle and disease 
long enough to return with the remnant of his regiment at the dawn of 
peace. This home-coming of the few has been aptly put and immortal- 
ized in the poem of the Hillside Legion. Peace had been achieved, the 
cloud of war driven away, and the Legion was returning to the homes 
they had left. The people were preparing a grand welcome, and the poet 
says: 

All the women folks wait 

At the Caderray gate, 
With posies all dipped with dew, 

The Legion shout and say, 

We helped them away 
And forgot them when their service was through. 

Down by the depot a great crowd had gathered, with bands of music 
playing. The locomotive sounds, the train rattles in and stops. A voice 
calls out: "Stand aside, leave a space far and wide, till the regiment forms 
on the track." The soldiers in blue, two men, only two, stepped off, and 
the Legion was back. 

The hurrahs softly died, 

In the space far and wide, 
As they welcomed the worn and weary men; 

The drum on the hill 

Grew suddenly still, 
And the bugle was silent again. 

Colonel Geddes led his legion home, we who were left, not because he 
favored or shielded himself. In battle he was ever in the thickest, in 
camp in the hardest, on the march in the severest places. Many a com- 
rade loves him the more to-day, and breathes grateful praise, both from 
their homes on earth and in the skies, for a ride on his horse when foot- 
sore and weary, while the Colonel tramped in the mud and dust in the 
line. He never sat down to a bountiful repast while his men were out of 
bread. He never quartered himself away from camp in comfort and 
ease while his men lay drenched with rain or chilled with cold. The 
comfort of his men was his first thought. If good and abundant rations, 
proper camp and garrison equippage was to be had for anybody, the 
Eighth Iowa got it. And to his honor be it said, if our Government 
could not for any reason provide it, or keep up with us with the food, and 
the enemy had some, they were allowed to contribute, and he showed 
himself willing to fight even in defense of his hungry men, and they 
would have died for him, every one. He came to us with some knowl- 



iowa hornet's nest brigade. 63 



edge of so ldier life and discipline, having served with distinction in the 
Crimean war, and he early won his place in a 11 our hearts by his consist- 
ency, kindness, good sense and loving heart; for while a strict disciplina- 
rian, demanding good order and proper conduct, insisting on thorough 
drill preparation, he never forgot we were men— patriots, every one— who 
volunteered for the work in hand and had it as much at heart as any of 
those who bore upon their shoulders insignia of higher rank. The Eighth 
Iowa was never called upon by his orders to perform any unnecessary 
duty, nothing for mere show. His comm ands were few, firm and kind, 
his will was all the boys needed to know. And now, and in the great 
day it will be found that the name of J. L. Geddes is written in the book 
beside that of Ben Adem, as one who loved his fellow-men, and for him 
since we last met, comrades, to mother earth it has been said: 

Unveil thy bosom, faithful tomb, 

Take this new treasure to thy breast, 
And give these sacred relics room 

To slumber in the silent dust. 

Till in the great day shall 

Break from God's throne illustrious morn, 
Attend, O ! earth, his sovereign word, 

Restore thy trust! A glorious form 
.Shall then arise to meet his Lord. 

< )ur beloved Colonel was early at the front when his adopted country 
was assailed, and like the brave patriot of other days, it must be said: 

Make way for liberty, he cried, 
He made way for liberty, and died. 

And now, America, of you it can truly be said: 

There's freedom at thy gates, and rest, 
For earth's downtrodden and oppressed; 
A shelter for the hunted head, 
And for the laborer toil and bread. 

In conclusion he presented the following resolutions, which were 
adopted unanimously by a silent rising vote: 

Be it resolved by the Eighth Iowa Veteran Association in annual 
Reunion assembled : 

That whereas it has pleased our Great Commander to call from our 
midst since our last meeting our dearly-beloved regimental commander, 
Colonel J. L. Geddes, that it is with heads bowed to the Divine will, yet 
with sorrowing hearts, we record this departure of our comrade, and in 
tribute to his memory we desire, so far as words can convey our mean- 
ing, to express our profound sorrow on account of our loss, and sympathy 
with his family at their bereavement. His death was a loss to the State 
and nation, and to the cause of liberty everywhere. He was a man- 
brave, kind, true, and a lover of his fellow men ; and for his worth and 
sterling qualities as a man and soldier, he early won a place in our hearts 
never to be effaced, but grew in fervor and intensity with each day's 
acquaintance. 



64 FIRST REUNION OF THE 



The Association then elected the following named comrades as offi- 
cers for the ensuing year : 

President, D. Ryan, Newton, Iowa. 
Vice-President, H. G. Curtis, Atlantic, Iowa. 
Secretary, R. L. Turner, Oskaloosa, Iowa. 
Treasurer, Wm. Kirkpatrick, Oskaloosa, Iowa. 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 

D. Ryan, Newton, Iowa. 
H. G. Curtis, Atlantic, Iowa. 
Lem Kinkead, Knoxville, Iowa. 
Asa Turner, Oldfield, Iowa. 
T. F. Ford, Sigourney, Iowa. 

A bill of $10, for services of the Secretary to October 12, 1887, was 
presented, and on motion was allowed. 

The meeting then adjourned to October 13th, the time to be an- 
nounced at the Brigade meeting. 

R. L. Turner, Secretary. 

Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 13, 1887, 2 o'clock p. m. 
The Eighth Iowa Infantry Veteran Volunteer Association met in 
Joe Hooker Post Hall, as announced at Brigade meeting. 

It was moved and seconded that a committee of one from each com- 
pany be appointed, whose duty it shall be to report to the Secretary the 
death of any comrade, giving disease, time and place of death, and as full 
particulars as possible ; also any information from the comrades living 
that will be of benefit to the Secretary and to the association. 

The motion carried and the following comrades were appointed as 
the committee : 

A Company, Alonzo Smith, Scranton, Iowa. 

B " Thomas Harris, Stewart, Iowa. 

C " A. J. Johnson, Kingsville, Missouri. 

I) " T. C. Horton, Shellsburg, Iowa. 

E " Lem Kinkead, Knoxville, Iowa. 

F " Wm. Kreger, Keota, Iowa. 

G " J. B. Betz, Victor, Iowa. 

II " E. Coffin, Oskaloosa, Iowa. 

I " Asa Turner, Oldfield, Iowa. 

K " I. K. Story, Indianola, Iowa. 

The selection of a place for holding our next annual reunion was 
then discussed. Col. Ryan presented the claims of Newton ; Comrade 
Curtis, Atlantic; Owen, Marengo, and I. K. Story Wappello. The claims 



IOWA HOKNETS NEST BRIGADE. 



65 



of each were presented after a general discussion, which was participated 
in by quite a number of the comrades. It was moved and seconded that 
the place be left with the Executive Committee. 

The motion carried. 

The association then adjourned to meet at the call of the Executive 
Committee. E. L. Turner, 

(Secretary Eighth Iowa Inf. V. V. A. 



Name and address of Eighth Iowa Comrades present at the Reunion. 

REGIMENTAL STAFF EIGHTH IOWA INFANTRY. 



Bell, Colonel W. B., 

Stubbs, Colonel Wm., 2232 Wabash Avenue, 



Goodwell, G. M., 
Goodwell, A. D., 
Meredith, David, 
Shockey, V. A., 
Shearer, J. M., 
Smith, A. B., 
Smith, P. A., 
Welch, Dan, 

Harris, Thomas, - 
Jayne, John W., 
Kettenring, Fred, 
Koons, G. B., - 
Larne, Alfred, 
Stuhr, John P., 
Whitsel, John, - 
Waggoner, J., 



Company A. 



Company B. 



Company C. 



Boyer, J. A., 4402 Sherman St., 

Carris, S. A., 

Glider, H., 

Griffith, Al., - 

Lightner, Henry, 

Palmer, D. J., 



- Washington, Iowa 
Chicago, 111 



Prescott, Iowa 

DeWitt, " 

Des Moines, " 

Baxter, " 

DeWitt, " 

Scranton, " 

Menlo, " 

Stuart, Iowa 
Lone Tree, " 
DeWitt, " 
San Francisco, Cal 
Chester Center, Iowa 
Minden, Iowa 
Iowa City, " 
Prairie City, " 



Chicago, 111 

Dublin, Iowa 

Wellman, " 

Des Moines, " 

Ames, " 

Washington, " 



66 



FIRST REUNION OF THE 



Vastine, W. M., 
Speer, James, 



Horton, C. J., 
Gordon, J. M., 
Montgomery, Henry. 
McQueen, G. \\\. 
Rollins, Burch, - 



Bacon, Wm., 
Banta, B. F., 
Curtis, H. G., 
Johnson. J. M., 
Jacobs, Wm., 
Kinkeacl, Lem, 
Manning, Benjamin, 
McCormack, J. L., 
Neely, Henry, 
Neely, Joseph, 
Newman, David, 
Thompson. C. B., 
Ryan, D., 
Reed, John. 
Youell, J. V., 



Brown, 1). L,, 
Hendrix, J, C, 

Hall, 8. E., 
Ford, T. F., - 
Kennon, J. C, 
Latter, B. F., 
Lamb, David. 
McConnell, James, ■ 
Kreger, William, 
Sloan, Norman, 
Scott, A. J., 
Perkins, George W., 
Reynolds, S. W., 



Company D. 



Company E. 



Company F. 



Hastings, Neb 
Traer, Iowa 



Shellsburg, Iowa 
Manning, " 
- Spickardsville, Mo 
Rock Rapids, Iowa 
Rockwell City, " 



Greenfield, Iowa 

Knoxville, " 

Atlantic, " 

Stuart, " 

Knoxville, " 

Boone, " 

Knoxville, " 

Flagler, " 

Newburn, " 

Knoxville, " 

Newton, " 

Knoxville, t( 

Prairie City, " 



Webster, Iowa 

Oskaloosa, Iowa 

■ McCracken, Kan 

Sigourney, Iowa 

Vinton, " 

Sigourney, " 

Maxwell, " 

Sigourney. " 

Keota, " 

South English, " 

Jett'erson, " 

Lacey, " 

Webster, " 



IOWA hornet's nest brigade. 



til 



Company G. 



Bush, W. P., 
Betz, J. B., - 
Burnes, W. IL, 
Chapman, C. EL, 
Eddy, William, 
Hedges, Jester, 
Lyon, A. M., 
Marshall, Appleton. 
Metzer, J. B., 
Owen, T. W., 
Wimmer, William. 

Bryan, H. E., 
Dunlap, S. M., 
Ellis, F. M., - 
Inghram, John, - 
Kirkpatrick, William. 
Prine, M. E., 
Sargent, A. N., 
Shoemake, I. G., - 
Wells, C.S., - 
Vanhook, M. S., - 
Zane, Harve, 

Lovel, P. J., 
Steam, De Witt. 
Searle, C. P., 
Turner, P. L., 
Turner, Asa, 

Berry, J. C, 
Blake, L. H., 
Crill, Charles, 
Gipple, J. F., 
Hahn, George, 
Morris, A., 
Smith, S., 
Shipman, A. B., 
Story, I. K., 
Tharp. Lee. - 



Company II. 



Company I. 



Company K. 



- Gilman City, Iowa 

Ladora, " 
North English, " 

Ladora, " 

Montezuma, " 

Marengo, " 

( 'arlisle, " 

- ( 'edar Papids. " 

Marengo, " 
Ladora, " 

Montezuma, Iowa 

- Des Moines, " 

Norwalk, " 
San Jose, Cal 
Oskaloosa, Iowa 

Grinnell, " 

Oskaloosa, " 

Knoxville, " 

- Des Moines, " 

Oskaloosa, " 

Woodburn, Iowa 
Des Moines, " 
Oskaloosa, " 

Oldfield, " 

Mexico, Mo 
Des Moines, Iowa 

Greenville, " 

- David City, " 

Jolly, " 

Melrose, " 

Walnut, " 

Indianola " 

West Liberty, " 



H8 FIRST REUNION OF THE 



Twelfth Iowa. 

Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 12, 1887. 

The meeting of the 12th Iowa Kegiment was called to order at Joe 
Hooker Post by Col. S. K. Edgington. Hon. E. W. Tyrell was chosen 
secretary pro tern. Col. Edgington then stated the object of the meeting 
to be to prepare and report the casualties of the regiment in the battle of 
Shiloh to the meeting of the Iowa Hornet's Nest Eeunion. He then read 
his report, showing that the 12th Iowa had 21 killed and 103 wounded. 
Some of the companies not being represented, hence it is still impossible 
to positively state the exact loss of the regiment at Shiloh. No doubt 
some that were reported wounded were killed. All the killed and wound- 
ed fell into the hands of rebels. 

The following comrades were chosen as officers for the ensuing year: 

President, S. R. Edgington, Elclora, Iowa. 

Vice-President, D. W. Keed, Waukon, Iowa. 

Secretary, Abner Dunham, Manchester, Iowa. 

Quartermaster, Geo. H. Morisey, Manchester, Iowa. 
directors. 

Ben. E. Eberhart, La Porte City, Iowa. 

R. P. Clarkson, Des Moines, Iowa. 

John Steen, Wahoo, Neb. 

J. H. Stibbs, Chicago, Ills.- 

S. G. Knee, Colesburg, Iowa. 

The question of the place for the regimental Reunion was then dis- 
cussed. Manchester, whose citizens have so kindly welcomed the regi- 
ment at the two previous Reunions, Eldora, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, 
Waukon and other places were presented, but no definite conclusion could 
be reached and the matter was referred to the executive committee se- 
lected at the last Reunion for final action. The meeting adjourned to 

meet at call of executive committee. 

R. W. Tyrell, 

Secretary, pro tern. 

Names and address of Twelfth Iowa comrades present at the Re- 
union : 

Company A. 
Clarkson, R. P., - - Des Moines, Iowa 

Edgington, S. R,, - Eldora, " 

Macey, Seth, ----- Des Moines, " 

Mann, A. J., - Perry, " 

Company C. 
Barr, James, - % - - - - Algona, Iowa. 

Ballinger, J. W., ----- Lacey, " 

Company D. 
Bomgardner, Wm., - Scranton, Iowa 



IOWA hornet's nest brigade. 



(19 



Ferner, J. D., 
Morehead, H. C, 
Sopher, E. B., 
Thompson, F. D., 

Creighton, D., 
Eberhart, Ben E., 
Jones, ,T. C, 
Rich, J. W., 
Switzer, C. R., 

Tyrell, R. W., 

Steen, John, 

Royse, W. A., 
Ward, J W., 

Bintner, Wm, 
Fry, Wm., 
Nagle, M. D., 
Panp, D. A., 
Zedike r, Jas. F., 

Davis, W. X., 
Waldroff, — . — . 



Company E. 



Company F. 
Company G. 
Company II. 

Company I. 



Company K. 



Nevada, Iowa 
Cedar Rapids, " 
Emmetsburg, " 

Nevada, " 

Geneva, Iowa 

Laporte City, " 

Geneva, " 

Vinton, " 

Lewis, " 

Manchester, Iowa 

Wahoo, Nebraska 

Atlantic, Iowa 
- Burlington, " 

Brayton, Iowa 
Scranton, " 
Dubuque, " 
Sac City, " 
Franklin, Neb 

Das Moines, Iowa 
Laport, " 



Fourteenth Iowa. 



Des Moines, Iowa, Oct., 1887. 
The Second Reunion of the Fourteenth Iowa Infantry was held in Des 
Moines, Oct. 12th and 13th, 1887, in Kinsman Post hall. The meeting was 
called to order by the President. The first in order was the election of 
officers. W. T. Shaw was elected President, and R. Wheatly Secretary, for 
the ensuing year. The next thing in order was speech making and Com- 
rade Pierce was called upon. He made a good speech and to the point. 
The next was Capt. W. J. Emeson, whose speech was much enjoyed by 
the comrades. A vote of thanks was then tendered the comrades of Joe 
Hooker Post for the use of their hall. The President read a letter from 
Dr. Staples, of Dubuque, regretting that he could not attend. It was 
moved and seconded that we have a reunion every year. The time and 
place for holding the next reunion was left to the option of the Secretary. 
Meeting adjourned. R. Wheatly, 

Secretary Fourteenth Iowa Infantry. 



Names and address of Fourteenth Iowa comrades present at the Re- 
union : 



70 



FIRST REUNION OF THE 



Regimental Staff. 
Shaw, W. T., Col., 
Sutton, L. W., Sergeant Major, 
Pierce, S. W., Surgeon, - 
Campbell, W. J., Capt., 
Baldwin, T. F., Lieut., - 
Emerson, R. D., Capt., 

Company A. 
Leslie, W. M., 



Lewis, J. M., 
Sterner, E. 

Bird, Eli, - 
Davidson, T. L., 

Bishop, J. V., 
Christian, A., 
Butter, J. R., 

Rogers, H. S., 
Rogers, E. S., 

Brown, P. W., 
Bailey, W. H., 
Collins, A., 
Cowman, T. P., 
Deakin, J. E., 
Horn, T. H., 
Houseman, W. H., 
Hodson, W. P., 
Hilton, W., 
Ingle, W. T., 
McMillen, J. E., 
McGarragh, J. D., 
Prouty,B. F., - 
Weyner, A., 
Webh, G. M., - 

Detwiler, J. W., 
Douglass, J. E., 
Davis, L., 
Detwiler, H., 
Gilbert, J., 
Lengle, J., 
Morton, W. W., - 
Switzer, B. 1?., 



Company B. 



Company C. 



Company D. 



Company E. 



Company F. 



Anamosa, Iowa 

Ottumwa, " 

Cedar Falls, " 

Elrick, " 

Keokuk, " 

Kirksville, " 

Avoca, Iowa 

Story City, Iowa 
Dallas Center, " 

Elkhart, Iowa 
Des Moines, " 

Springville, Iowa 
Gait, Mo 
Washta, Iowa 
Red Oak, " 



Runnells, Iowa 

Rippey, " 

Vandalia, " 

Percey, " 

Des Moines, " 

Malcom, " 

Rippey, " 

Runnells, " 

Vandalia, " 

Altoona, " 

Sheldon, " 

Des Moines, " 

Bondurant, " 

Vandalia, " 

Baxter, " 

Des Moines, Iowa 

Oxford, " 

Tiffin, " 

Cambridge, " 

Greenfield, " 

Oxford, " 

Modale, " 

McVeigh. " 



IOWA hornet's nest brigade. 



71 



Tacle, W. A., 

Brannan, L. H., 
Clark, M., 
Thomas, B. F., 
Walrath, G., 

Boyd, R. M., 
Chapman, C, 
Calkins, W. H., 
Conar, A. P., 

Peyton, M., 

Chandler, T. B., 
Chandler, R. A., 
Jones, F., 
Miller, B. K., 
Prentice, T. G., - 
Savage, J., 

Bell, W. R., 
Calkins, M. B., 
Chapman, 8. M., 
Heser, D. B., - 
Johnson, J. M., 
Matson, D., 
Storks, W. D., 
Thompson, W. H. 
Tracey, W. H., 



Company G. 



Company II. 



Company I. 



Company K. 



Bonaparte, Iowa 

Tama City, Iowa 

- Laport City, " 

Traer, " 
Blairsburg, " 

Sanborn, " 
E. Des Moines, " 
Indianapolis, Ind 
Ames, Iowa 
- Sac City, " 

Burlington, Iowa 
Smith Center, Kan 
Corning, Iowa 
Des Moines, " 

- Pleasantville, " 

- Middle River, " 

Creston, Iowa 
West Burlington, " 
Plattsmonth, Neb 
Corning, Iowa 
Des Moines, " 
Kossuth, " 
- Oakville, " 
Mediapolis, " 
Stall, Mo 



The following are some of clippings taken from the Iowa State Rey- 
(ster columns : 

Two suggestive hornet's nests taken from the woods were on the 
stage, one being contributed by Miss Gussie Larrabee, while the other 
was from Mr. J. H. Campbell. 

The camp Are was a grand success in drawing one of the largest au- 
diences ever assembled in the opera , house and holding them until 11 
o'clock without tiring them out. 

The decorations yesterday far exceeded anything Des Moines has 
done in that line for many years. On both sides of the river the leading 
business houses were rigged out in flags and streamers, and to-day as the 
veterans march to the Capitol they will see on every hand the evidence of 
Des Moines patriotism. 

Upon the stage of opera house a number of scenes were shown, five 
transparencies having been arranged so that they would be shown in 
succession. The flrst three were battle scenes, suggestive of the smoke 
and noise of battle, while the last two were scenes of surrenders by con- 
federates. Shown by colored light these scenes were heartily cheered, 



y ^iSISK/ ^*s 1/ 



72 IOWA HORNET'S NEST BRIGADE REUNION. 

The first reunion of the now ^^'^^t^S^I&SSA 
prising five regiments of fee ^rrny of tte ' ?™™^™™J me ^ 
Tattle's brigade and one from ^^eney b uiig , magnificent 

and it has been a success ^J^J^^^SiS^ veterans who 
reunion, was the opinion of eveiy one of the l° u * ^una w ^ 

attended, and one could not look upraithem 9™*™°- signs of success 
groups on the street without seeing ;the ^ n ^ a ™ the badge. The 
written on the smiling f aces of eve ry man ^\Xut one of the most 
comrades came together to r talk about and ™aj on 

memorable days m their war history torerresnuuj haye 

questions conceming^he campaign m Tennessee iney , 

heard the report of the Brigade Comniander ^the report ir^ ^ 

S^^^^*SSir^«?^ ^t gone home happy. 
\nftnre conspired to make the occasion a joyous one. 
AU SSLSSS of the several ^S^SS^S 
at the opera house. They ^recontributed f^f^^^eds, they 
Adjutant-General's office, and though the y are divc > n 

profusely decorating that fine building. , ^ V 1 ecially at the evidence 
it the signs of appreciation by the people, "J^JgTO^ state to carry 
of the unfaltering, patriotism of the people ^Wy^eased with the kind 
S2£^tt^"ffiE*S^ aid y oy the people of Des 

Moines. 

Tn elosins this our first "Hornet's Nest Brigade" pamphlet, I desire 

for the manuscripts furnished, to you one and all for the as sistance ven 
dered and for the courteous and gentlemanly treatment that I have 

ah T stattd tT> ^ting," I regret that all "^£*£ 
imental Reports and Responses to Toasts could not have been received, 
hn •■ it is through no neglect or fault of mine. 

J To tie comrades, one and all, I thank you for your patience , m 
lo the comraue Brigade Reunion and those who 

Z^ll^V^^^^^ Widely mattered and hav 
189(1 Secretary "Iowa Hornet's Nest Brigade." 



fEKtra copies of the pamphlet will be sent to comrades desiring them 
at 25 cents each. Send to R. L. Turner, Oskaloosa, Iowa.] 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



013 763 096 5 





MH 



« 



